Live Breaking News: NSW Covid cases, lockdown updates and Sydney restrictions
Authorities have released images of five people who flouted Covid rules during a rally at the Queensland/NSW border last month.
New South Wales has recorded 1288 new Covid cases and seven deaths. But there’s been a slight easing of the rules for hot spot residents.
The Premier says people who live in local government areas of concern, from 5am tomorrow morning, will be able to have unlimited exercise.
There are, however, concerns over the spread of the virus in the state’s Central Coast after a number of new mystery cases emerged overnight.
There were seven new cases reported in the area to 8pm last night, all who had been infectious in the community. Three of the cases were linked to a previously notified case.
“There’s been some unlinked cases in the Central Coast that are raising concern,” Dr Kerry Chant said during today’s coronavirus briefing.
Our live Covid coverage has now ended. We’ll be back tomorrow morning with all the latest news and updates.
Cops release pics of illegal protesters
NSW Police have released photos of four people linked to an illegal protest at the NSW/Queensland border last month.
During the rally, protesters crossed the border between Queensland at Coolangatta and NSW at Tweed Heads, in breach of current Covid rules.
Authorities released the images of those who “may be able to assist with inquiries”.
The first man depicted is described as wearing a black T-shirt and cream cargo pants, with a GoPro strapped to his chest.
A second man depicted is described as wearing a faded grey T-shirt, orange pants and a blue and yellow face mask, holding a mobile phone.
A third man depicted is described as wearing a white T-shirt and a black cap.
A female depicted is described as wearing a black blouse and carrying a black handbag.
A fourth man depicted is described as wearing a black singlet and a black floppy hat, with a sleeve tattoo on his left arm.
Anyone with information about the identity of the five people – or has mobile phone footage of the protest activity – is urged to contact Crime Stoppers through the online portal or by contacting 1800 333 000.
Investigators are following up every report, with seven people charged and 55 PINs issued so far.
Source of western NSW outbreak revealed
The source of western NSW’s Covid outbreak has been identified as a couple who had been in a Sydney area of concern in July.
The pair returned to the region in early August, around one week before the Dubbo and Walgett LGAs were locked down on August 11.
“A couple who were in western Sydney came back to our region, what we now know was now over four-and-a-half weeks ago,” Western NSW Local Health District Scott McLachlan told the media on Thursday afternoon.
“It’s no longer about where it came from, it’s about what’s happening today.”
There were 23 new local cases recorded in Western NSW Local Health District today, along with five in the far west.
Small weddings back on the cards
NSW Health has confirmed that small weddings can resume from Friday.
Under the new rules, weddings can take place with no more than five guests plus the wedding party (the two people getting married, two witnesses required for the marriage, one person conducting the service, and one person to record the wedding).
However, some strict rules remain – people from Greater Sydney can still not attend a wedding outside of Greater Sydney, and people from regional NSW can only travel to Greater Sydney to attend a wedding if they are part of the wedding party or the parent, child or sibling of one of the persons getting married.
A person from Greater Sydney outside the areas of concern can only attend a wedding in an area of concern if they are part of the wedding party or the parent, child or sibling of one of the persons getting married and a person who lives in an area of concern can only attend a wedding outside the area of concern in which they live if they are part of the wedding party or the parent, child or sibling of one of the persons getting married.
Small weddings may be held outdoors, but not in domestic households, and gatherings or receptions following the wedding service are not permitted.
‘A profound moral failure’: Hunt fires up
Health Minister Greg Hunt has fiercely attacked the Queensland government over keeping families apart and saying that 2240 people will die from Covid each month when we open up.
In a press conference this afternoon, he was asked about the three year old boy unable to return home to his parents in Queensland from New South Wales.
“In terms of compassion, we know that NRL players and their partners have been allowed into Queensland,” he said.
“The fact that beautiful young children or patients with cancer are being denied entry for reuniting with their families or being treated is, I think, a profound moral failure.
“This is a profound moral failure. Let these people in for medical treatment and for a 3-year-old to be fully reunited with their family.”
He then said the Queensland Premier’s selective use of the Doherty Institute modelling to suggest there will be thousands of Covid deaths every month when we ease rules at 70 per cent vaccination coverage “breaches good faith and damages public confidence”.
He said it was also “false and wrong and inaccurate” for Queensland to suggest children aged under 12, who are not part of the vaccine rollout, were not considered as part of the national plan.
‘It is confronting’: Gladys sets expectations
Ms Berejiklian is asked what she made of the claim from the Queensland premier’s claim that 2240 Australians will die each month from Covid — even with 70% of the population vaccinated.
If NSW is the model of what lies in store for all of us, then serious discussions are needed.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) September 2, 2021
Doherty Institute modelling predicts, even with 70% of the population vaccinated, 80 people will die each day six months after the outbreak.
That’s 2,240 who will die each month.
Ms Berejiklian had this to say.
“Firstly, we have to accept we are in a pandemic, and of course reducing the mortality rate and increasing vaccination is key, we also have to put things into perspective.
“The sad reality is outside of a pandemic, we lose between 600 and 800 people every year to the flu.
“We have to put things into perspective. Nobody likes to talk about this because it is confronting.
“You have deaths just from the flu. It is a tragedy, I was providing a supportive message to the heart disease foundation every day and 50 people every day lose their lives to heart disease.
“Death is horrible. But we also need to put things into perspective, because at the moment there are 8 million citizens who do not have a choice in how they spend their free time, who do not have a choice about what they can do when they leave their homes.
“That is no way to live.
“And Victoria is going through the same in Victoria has had six major lockdowns.
“Generations earlier, our forefathers and for mothers would have had to have thought about how they live with the flu because flu used to kill, especially those vulnerable, without the vaccine, so we have to get really real about what we are facing.”
Deep concerns for the Central Coast
Dr Kerry Chant says authorities are concerned by the spread of cases on the Central Coast.
There were seven new cases reported in the area to 8pm last night, all who had been infectious in the community. Three of the cases were linked to a previously notified case.
“There’s been some unlinked cases in the Central Coast that are raising concern,” Dr Chant said during today’s coronavirus briefing.
“So people who live in or travel through areas like Lake Munmorah, San Remo, Budgewoi [and] Lake Haven are asked to continue to maintain Covid-safe behaviours and if you have symptoms, please get tested.”
More easing on the cards for hot spots
Ms Berejiklian says the government is “looking to provide further relief for local government areas of concern”.
“We know that between 70 per cent and 80 per cent of all cases are still coming from those areas,” she said.
“However, there are some councils we’re looking at to see if we can relieve those burdens or even part of councils.”
Dr Chant warns against Ivermectin
We heard this morning a Covid positive resident in Sydney being taken to hospital with an Ivermectin overdose after they used the anti-worming drug to “treat” the disease.
Some Aussies are using unproven treatment without medical advice.
Dr Chant has pleaded with people to listen to their doctor.
“My message would be simple for all things. Make sure that you’ve got your health care provided by a health care practitioner and that you seek advice before taking any medications,” she said.
“It is important to seek the best health advice. Our doctors in Australia are across the literature in terms of what drugs and therapies are useful in Covid. Please listen to them.”
Sewage alert for new areas
NSW Health’s ongoing sewage surveillance program has recently detected fragments of the virus that causes Covid-19 at sewage treatment plants across NSW.
Fragments were detected in Bega and Cooma in Southern NSW LHD and Bomaderry in Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD.
These detections are a concern as there are no known cases in these areas. Everyone in these areas is urged to monitor for the onset of symptoms, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.
NSW will hit 70 per cent first doses today
More than 120,000 more people received their vaccinations. The premier says NSW will today hit 70 per cent of eligible adults who have had their first dose.
Where the new cases were found
Of the 1288 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night:
• 445 are from Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD),
• 387 are from South Western Sydney LHD,
• 149 are from Sydney LHD,
• 101 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD,
• 82 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD,
• 31 are from Northern Sydney LHD,
• 23 are from Western NSW LHD,
• 22 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD,
• seven are from Central Coast LHD,
• five are from Far West LHD,
• four are from Hunter New England LHD,
• 11 are in a correctional centre and
• 21 cases are yet to be assigned to an LHD.
More details on deaths
Here are some more details on the seven deaths. They are:
A man in his 80s from southwestern Sydney died at Campbelltown Hospital.
A woman in her 80s from southwestern Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital.
A man in his 70s from southwestern Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital. He acquired his infection at the hospital and is the 12th death linked to this outbreak.
A man in his 80s from Sydney’s north died at Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital. He acquired his infection at the hospital.
A man in his 50s from southwestern Sydney died at Royal North Shore Hospital.
A man in his 80s from southwestern Sydney died at St George Hospital.
A woman in her 70s from southwestern Sydney died in Campbelltown Hospital.
Rules ease slightly for hot spots
The premier says people who live in local government areas of concern, from 5am tomorrow morning, will be able to have unlimited exercise.
“Previously we’d only allowed an hour a day to exercise and now the public health experts have given us the green light to allow everybody who lives in a local government area of concern to have unlimited exercise from 5am to 9pm,” she said.
“The curfew will still be in place. The exercise rule is now the same for every person across New South Wales in terms of that ability and again, especially to citizens in local government areas of concern, thank you to the effort you’re going to.”
NSW records 1288 cases and seven deaths
NSW has seen a surge in cases again and seven new deaths. There were 1,288 cases of community transmission.
“The number of people, unfortunately, have lost their lives have not received any dose of vaccine and I hope that changes into the future to make sure that everybody who has access to a vaccine chooses to take the vaccine to prevent ICU and hospitalisation,” the premier said.
Worrying new surge in New South Wales
As Covid cases skyrocket in New South Wales, the state has seen a worrying new trend over the past week.
This morning it’s been revealed that number of people admitted to hospital with Covid-19 has jumped 42 per cent in one week. The strain on the system is starting to show as the cases are spread across 35 of the state’s hospitals — forcing more than 1400 healthcare workers now in isolation.
There are 150 infected patients in intensive care wards, taking up almost 18 per cent of the state’s ICU beds.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the state’s hospitalisation rate would peak in October — but she is determined to reopen when we hit vaccination targets.
“I always said September and October would be the most difficult months, and they will be. But also the best months, in terms of the future,” she said.
“The national plan does say at 70 per cent … that you can expect to go out and have meals, you can expect to attend a public event, you can expect to go and get services you can’t expect to have done now.”
Queensland records one new local Covid-19 infection
Queensland has recorded a new locally acquired Covid-19 case who was “potentially” infectious in the community for five days.
The new case was a truck driver who lives on the Gold Coast and in addition to the truck driver from NSW who was reported on Wednesday, Annastacia Palaszczuk told parliament.
Ms Palaszczuk said the driver is currently in NSW after travelling to Sydney, but was infectious on the Gold Coast in the five days to Wednesday.
Read more from NCA NewsWire’s James Hall
Victoria records 176 new local cases
Victoria has recorded 176 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Thursday, the highest spike in the state in 366 days.
The 176 new local cases is the highest daily spike in virus cases in more than a year, since 202 infections reported on August 22, 2020 during Victoria’s deadly second wave.
The health department confirmed the new local Covid-19 cases about 8.30am, as infections spiral out of control despite the state’s sixth lockdown.
‘Journalist’ verbally destroyed by cop
A Sydneysider who claims to be a journalist live streamed himself being absolutely owned by a police officer, after he travelled to regional NSW.
Chris De Bruyne, who shares videos under the account Chriscoveries, was filming himself attempting to travel north to support a rumoured truck blockade stopping traffic heading south on the M1 motorway towards Sydney on Tuesday.
De Bruyne sets up a chair in the bush overlooking the freeway at a Wyong rest stop and films himself watching traffic before he is approached by an officer.
He hands the officer a card which he says is proof he is a journalist.
“So we’ve done some research into this press pass, it’s not worth the plastic it’s written on,’ the officer says.
“All it is, it’s a simple website of an alliance of people who say they belong to the media.
“You’re not a real journalist, you’re not undertaking paid work. So what you’ve done is you’ve left the Greater Sydney area, come to regional NSW, you’re unvaccinated, you haven’t been tested,” the policeman calmly says as De Bruyne continues to look at the camera.
“You’re putting people’s lives at risk. For what? What are you trying to prove here?”
This cop isn’t mucking around. pic.twitter.com/bbRaJgMpxC
— cam smith (@sexenheimer) August 31, 2021
De Bruyne, who has been described as a ‘far-right vlogger’, has shared videos from various anti-lockdown rallies around Sydney and drew attention when he gatecrashed a Black Lives Matter forum at Sydney University in 2020.
Three year old boy stranded away from his parents
A three-year-old boy is stranded in NSW, unable to see his parents since July as a result of Queensland’s strict border blockade.
Dominique Facer and Mick Francis said goodbye to their little boy Memphis on July 9 when he went to visit his grandparents on a cattle station south of Griffith, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Following a snap hard border lockdown on July 23, Memphis has been unable to return to his parents and younger sister Paisley.
This is despite several attempts at an exemption which have been turned down by the Queensland government.
“It’s pretty tough when you’ve got your son on the phone crying, just wanting to come home,” Ms Facer, who lives on Queensland’s Fraser Coast, told The Daily Telegraph.
Sydney case in hospital after using unproven drug
A Sydney Covid-19 patient is recovering from severe diarrhoea and vomiting which authorities say was brought on by unproven drug Ivermectin – which has been touted by some as a “treatment” for the disease.
Westmead Hospital toxicologist Associate Professor Naren Gunja said the patient arrived at the emergency department recently having overdosed on Ivermectin and other “supposed Covid ‘cures’” ordered online.
“Thankfully they didn’t develop severe toxicity but it didn’t help their Covid either,” told Western Sydney Local Health District’s The Pulse website.
“There’s no evidence to support the use of Ivermectin to treat COVID-19. Don’t look for magic cures online, and don’t rely on what’s being peddled on the internet, because none of them work.”
Ivermectin has been touted as a treated for Covid, but the TGA has said there is “insufficient evidence” that it works and it may be dangerous to health.
The TGA also noted there had been a tenfold increase in detections of the drug being imported into Australia.
PM tells over-60s to get AZ now
Letters will be sent next week to 586,713 people aged between 60 and 69 who are yet to be vaccinated – telling them to get the AstraZeneca jab.
The Daily Telegraph has seen the letter, signed off by Scott Morrison, Health Minister Greg Hunt and Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly, saying people in that age range will be back of the queue when Pfizer supply ramps up.
A new wave of Pfizer jabs is expected to arrive in October, but the supply will be prioritised for the 9.8 million people aged between 12 and 39.
AstraZeneca is the recommended jab for that age bracket and there are more than 3 million doses sitting in fridges waiting to be administered.
New beach party linked to case explosion
Police say there has been an explosion in Covid cases stemming from illegal beach parties in Sydney’s eastern suburbs — as they fine increasing numbers of people over the public health breaches.
Last month, police set up a task force to investigate reports of large gatherings in the beachside suburb of Maroubra.
One of the gatherings, an illegal house party on August 14 attended by up to 60 people, has been blamed for a cluster of 81 Covid-19 cases.
NSW Health said the gathering has so far led to 20 confirmed cases among guests who have then infected 61 others. Authorities said a number of the partygoers lived in the 12 local government areas of concern.
As part of police investigations into that party, officers discovered that a number of people had gathered at another party at Malabar Headland on Friday, July 23.
“It is suspected that this party is also linked to cases of COVID-19,” NSW Police said in a statement.
The nine men – aged 24, 22, 20, three aged 19 and three aged 18 – were on Wednesday issued $1000 fines over the party.
“Investigations into the August gatherings at Maroubra are continuing, which includes determining whether there are any links between the Malabar and Maroubra parties,” police said in a statement.
‘Stay at home’: New Covid wave surges
Another wave of Covid-19 is surging across one Aussie state, with authorities urging residents to have a new booster jab.
‘Really did erode trust’: Shock Covid apology
The apology follows a major report into Australia’s response to the pandemic that found trust in vaccination programs has declined.
‘Another one’: Grim pandemic warning
Australia’s health minister is issuing a grim warning about the country’s ability to weather another pandemic.