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A further three people have died, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has confirmed.
The premier acknowledged the state was “going through the rollercoaster ride of emotions as case numbers go up and down”.
Last week a total of 738,000 people were vaccinated across NSW.
Ms Berejiklian said the number was “an outstanding result”.
“We’re up to 5.9 million jabs in NSW,” she said.
“I’d set a target of six million by the end of the month and it looks like we’ll be at least a week ahead of schedule so I’m so pleased that everybody’s really heard the call, heard the messages, and is coming out to get vaccinated.”
Two deaths in Sydney, one in Newcastle
NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Marianne Gale has provided more details about the three COVID-19 deaths overnight.
A man in his 80s from south-western Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital, which is where he was infected.
His is the 11th death linked to the outbreak in the hospital’s geriatric ward.
He was unvaccinated.
Another man in his 80s, from Newcastle, died at John Hunter Hospital after being infected at an Edgeworth aged care facility.
He had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The third death, a woman in her 80s from Sydney’s south-west, died in Campbelltown Hospital.
She had received one COVID-19 vaccine dose.
All three had serious underlying medical conditions, Dr Gale said.
Clarity on NSW schools by end of the week
Ms Berejiklian said she hoped she would be able to outline the next steps for school students by the end of the week.
She said vaccinating adolescents was a key part of reopening schools “safely”.
However, she said the advice was not yet to vaccinate primary school-aged children, who were mostly catching the disease from adults.
She said the public health team was still examining the situation.
“As soon as we get that advice, of course we will communicate it, but I haven’t received it yet,” she said.
Ms Berejiklian also confirmed people who had lost their “singles bubble” partner under the new Greater Sydney restrictions would be able to pick a new partner.
‘Opportunity’ for COVID-zero in regional NSW
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said there was an “opportunity” to get to zero COVID-19 cases in the state’s locked-down regional areas.
“But we need to be realistic,” he said.
“Nowhere in the world has anyone been able to pull back Delta once it has spread in the community.
“That is why the message for regional New South Wales, like Sydney, is to get vaccinated.”
Ms Berejiklian has said she would continue to group Wollongong in with Greater Sydney, despite the Central Coast being reclassified as regional NSW.
“That’s really based on the health advice we have,” she said.
“It’s based on geography and people’s movements and what the authorised workers are doing.”
She said the lockdown would have to remain strong as NSW “raced” to increase vaccinations.
ICU specialist and government health adviser Dr Nhi Nguyen said the NSW health system was ready to support regional areas despite “a lot of pressures”.
“But what we are very fortunate in, is that we’ve got a really well-connected system,” she said.
“And in fact, with the age of COVID and telehealth and the ability to Zoom in and talk to our colleagues to provide support, I think has really set the scene for us and we’re very well prepared.
“So I think have some comfort in knowing that we understand that the regions will be stretched, and we’re ready to help in any way we can.”
Churchgoers issued infringement notices
He said it was a “very disappointing event”.
“Regardless of whether it is a soccer match, a church service, it doesn’t matter – you cannot gather, as they did, at Blacktown.”
Deputy Commissioner Worboys also said an investigation into the Maroubra beach party was ongoing.
Curfew comes in for hotspot suburbs
From 9pm until 5am, residents in these areas must stay at home unless they are an authorised worker, have an emergency or need medical care.
Streets across Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield, and some suburbs of Penrith were deserted overnight as residents heeded the warning from police to stay at home.
More shops such as Bunnings and Officeworks as well as garden centres must move to click-and-collect only.
People from those areas are only allowed out to do one hour of exercise per day, while everybody across NSW must now wear a mask outside.
In another change that kicked in at 12.01am, workers from the Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland and Fairfield LGAs no longer have to have been tested for COVID-19 in the previous 72 hours to work outside their LGA.
Childcare workers and disability support workers who live or work in the LGAs of concern must have their first vaccination dose by August 30.
Authorised workers who work outside their LGA of concern are only permitted to work if rapid antigen testing is implemented at their worksite or they have had their first vaccine dose by August 30.
Police will also now be able to lock down apartment blocks – even if there are no cases – while health authorities assess the risk.
Mass vaccine hub opens in city’s west
Meanwhile, a major vaccine hub has opened in Penrith, targeting those aged over 16.
The Penrith Panthers Leagues Club has been transformed into a mass vaccination clinic.
The hub will be operating seven days a week, offering the Pfizer jab to 16- to 39-year-olds from Penrith initially.
Vaccines will then be offered to those in other areas of concern.
Young people are now the focus of the vaccination rollout in hotspot areas after high rates of children and teens being infected with the Delta variant.
A total of 204 children aged under nine have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two days.
A further 276 children aged 10 to 19 years old have also tested positive for the virus, with health authorities concerned cases in that age group will keep climbing.
Yesterday NSW recorded 830 cases – the highest daily number for any state or territory since the onset of the pandemic in Australia.
Source: 9News
