Dr Kerry Chant warns NSW’s Covid death toll will continue rising as state sees record-breaking surge

NSW’s health chief has issued a dire warning on what will come next in the Omicron outbreak, as the state recorded a record number of deaths on Tuesday.

NSW has been warned Covid deaths are set to continue climbing, as the full impact of last week’s case numbers come to the fore and another grim milestone is reached.

In the latest 24-hour reporting period, 36 people died with the virus in NSW. And the death toll for the last five days has risen well over 100.

The record of 36 deaths surpasses the previous record of 29, reported on Friday. The state also recorded 20 fatalities on both Saturday and Sunday, and 17 deaths on Monday.

NSW COVID-19 update – Tuesday 18 January 2022

In the 24-hour reporting period to 8pm last night:

- 95.2% of people aged 16+ have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
- 93.8% of people aged 16+ have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine pic.twitter.com/GPP48FM4Ww

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) January 17, 2022

On Monday, NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant urged people to get vaccine booster shots to protect themselves and their loved ones.

“The key message is those boosters will improve the protection,” she said. “Only one of the 17 people that died [on Monday] had been boosted.”

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant speaking at the daily press conference in St Leonards. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Adam Yip

On Tuesday, Dr Chant explained that 22 men and 14 women had died during the latest reporting period.

“One person was aged in their 40s, two people were in their 50s, one person was in their 60s, 11 people were in their 70s, 12 people were in their 80s, nine people were in their 90s,” she said.

“Of the 36 people, 33 were vaccinated against COVID. Generally they had had two doses. Three people were not vaccinated. Of the three people who died under 65, one was vaccinated against COVID, had had two doses, and two people were not vaccinated.

“All three of those under 65 had serious underlying health conditions and of the older people, only a handful - four - had had their boosters.”

She reiterated the premier’s call for more people to get their booster shots.

“There needs to be a sense of urgency in emberating the booster doses. For Omicron, we know that the protection is lower and we need that next boosting to get that higher level of protection and we know that boosters take about 7 to 14 days to work. I really want the community to have a sense of urgency in going and getting boosted,” she said.

A record 2850 virus patients are in hospital as of Tuesday – 209 in intensive care and 63 of those on ventilators.

Despite raging case numbers and increasing hospitalisations, Premier Dominic Perrottet said there was nothing more he could do to stop the spread of the virus, shy of a lockdown.

A pop-up Covid testing clinic at Redfern, Sydney. The state has had its deadliest day in the pandemic with 36 people dying. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Flavio Brancaleone

“The best way out of this pandemic is to continue to stand strong and to push through,” Mr Perrottet said on Monday. “It’s not the easy approach but it’s the right approach.”

Self-imposed lockdown touted for those at risk

His comments come as some Victorians consider a self-imposed lockdown.

Monash University’s head of epidemiological modelling James Trauer, made the call for the move as modelling suggested the state was approaching its peak in infections.

He told Melbourne radio station 3AW those at risk of becoming seriously ill with the virus should take extra precautions, with hospitalisations predicted to rise over the next month.

“People in medical research and epidemiology were [originally] talking about how we could shield elderly people and I think we should be thinking that way again,” he said.

“Only for a short period of time, for a few weeks.

“For an elderly person, just while the hospitals are as stressed as they are, just try to shield yourself away, stay away from your contacts.”