NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant chokes back tears announcing new Sydney deaths

Kerry Chant choked back tears on Friday as she announced another four Covid deaths in NSW before breaking her silence on resignation rumours

Kerry Chant fought back tears while announcing new deaths of people positive to Covid-19 in NSW.

The NSW chief health officer teared up and appeared to stumble over her words as she gave her update just after 11am on Friday.

Four people who had Covid-19 have died in NSW in the past 24 hours, including a woman in her 80s from Sydney’s inner west who was a resident of Wyoming Aged Care and died at Royal North Shore Hospital. She was the fourth death linked to the cluster.

A man in his 80s from western Sydney died at Nepean Hospital, a woman in her 80s from southwest Sydney died at Campbelltown Hospital and a man in his 70s from southeast Sydney died at St George Hospital, which is where he acquired the virus.

NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant has extended her condolences and sympathies to the loved ones of those who died. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

Dr Chant extended her sincere condolences and sympathies to the loved ones of those who died.

“I do not want to be standing here every day, announcing these high rates of hospitalisations and these deaths. Every one of these deaths is someone’s mother, father, grandmother, grandfather,” she said as she choked back tears.

“I am asking everyone to hang with us for the next four to six weeks. Buckle down. I do not want to be standing here every day announcing deaths.

“I want to see those deaths as low as possible … so I call on the people of NSW to work together.

“We can get on top of this, we can reduce the rate of increase, and we can reduce the number of people who are seriously ill and who will die.

“But it is going to be hard, and it requires us to redouble our efforts at work together.”

Dr Chant also said she had not threatened to resign during Sydney’s outbreak.

“I am so committed to seeing this outbreak behind us, I am so committed to doing all I can as part of a broader team across health and across government.”

The number of Covid-related deaths in NSW since June 16 now stands at 65, while 121 lives have been lost in the state since the start of the pandemic.

The state recorded 644 new local cases on Friday.