Covid-19 Australia: New South Wales recorded 818 new cases

NSW has recorded 818 new Covid-19 cases and three deaths with the state likely to achieve its six million vaccination target one week earlier than expected.   

A pleased premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed a staggering 738,000 vaccines were administered across the state last week raising the total number of jabs distributed to 5.9 million.   

The figure puts NSW one week ahead of schedule to have 6 million doses administered by the end of August.

‘An outstanding result,’ Ms Berejiklian said during a press conference on Monday. ‘I want to thank everybody for coming forward.’

‘I set a target of 6 million by the end of the month. We will be at least one week ahead of schedule. I am pleased everyone heard the messages, and is coming out to get vaccinated.’ 

The good news was overshadowed by another three deaths including a Newcastle man and a south-western Sydney man and woman in their 80s. 

The new cases come as a raft of new restrictions are enforced, including the requirement for everyone in NSW to wear masks outside their homes unless exercising

A strict 9pm to 5am curfew is in force those living in the 12 Sydney local government areas of concern

All of NSW is in lockdown and police have ramped up enforcement of restrictions as authorities battle to contain the spread of the Delta strain

‘We send our deepest condolences,’ Ms Berejiklian said. ‘All three were in their 80s and had underlining conditions.’ 

There are currently 586 patients being treated in hospital with 100 in intensive care and 32 on ventilators. 

Of the new cases, 120 are linked to a known case or cluster, 698 are still under investigation and 42 were infectious in the community. 

Ms Berejiklian has promised to reveal later this week some of the additional freedoms that will be granted to fully-vaccinated residents in September and October.

‘When we reach 70 per cent double dose, we will be able to live more freely. When we get to 80 per cent double dose, essentially, we would have normalised the way we treat COVID,’ she said.

‘When you get to 70 per cent double dose vaccination, you start to transition and treat Covid as you would the flu and terms of how you record hospitalisations and the way the community is going.’  

Western Sydney suburbs remain a source of concern with suburbs such as Guildford, Auburn, Greystanes and Blacktown recording the highest cases.

‘I want to call out again to anyone between 16 and 39 in those 12 local government areas of concern, please come forward and get vaccinated,’ Ms Berejiklian said. 

Deputy premier John Barilaro also flagged Wilcannia, in far west NSW, as another area of concern. 

Three cases were recorded in the area to the reporting period at 8pm, then an additional 15 since.

NSW recorded 818 new Covid-19 cases with 42 infectious in the community and three deaths on Monday

Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed a staggering 738,000 vaccines were administered across the state last week raising the total number of residents jabbed to 5.9 million

‘If you have travelled to Wilcannia in the past days, even if you are showing no symptoms, please come forward and get tested,’ Mr Barilaro said. 

Ms Berejiklian remains optimistic the restrictions will soon be eased despite acknowledging the fluctuating number of daily cases – with 830 recorded on Sunday and 825 the day beforehand. 

‘I don’t want to focus so much on the numbers going up and down,’ she said.

‘We want to see them go down, no doubt about that, and we’re working so hard to make it possible, but the number we need to focus on is a vaccination rate.’ 

A raft of new restrictions have also come into force, including the requirement for everyone in NSW to wear masks outside their homes unless exercising.

Twelve Sydney local government areas of concern will begin the first night of 9pm to 5am curfews on Monday. 

Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield, and some suburbs of Penrith are flagged as the LGAs of concern. 

On the eve of the curfew, police issued 31 fines after 60 people attended an illegal church service in the hotspot area of Blacktown in Sydney’s west.

Responding to a tip-off, police went to Christ Embassy Sydney church at 7.30pm on Sunday and found about 60 adults and children inside the Fourth Avenue building, participating in a sermon.

NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Gary Worboys labelled it ‘very disappointing’.

‘Whether it is a soccer match, a church service. It doesn’t matter. You cannot gather as they did,’ he said. 

Ms Berejiklian has promised to reveal later this week some of the additional freedoms that will be granted to fully-vaccinated residents

‘When you get to 70 per cent double dose vaccination, you start to transition and treat Covid as you would the flu,’ Ms Berejiklian said.

Sydneysider steps out at Bondi beach as NSW marked a turning point in the fight against Covid with the state expected to hit its 6 million vaccine target a week ahead of schedule

Police said there was no QR code at the entrance and some of the congregation came from other hot-spot LGAs, including Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield and Liverpool.

Thirty adults were fined $1,000 each and the church $5,000.

Police Minister David Elliott said he was ‘quite stunned’ by the reckless behaviour.

‘Churches are there to profess the message of hope and love and to have those people endanger communities … is extraordinary,’ he told Sydney radio 2GB on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Bank is ramping up its staff vaccination program, opening vaccination centres, initially in Sydney’s LGAs of concern.

Earlier this month the bank opened its first centre in Parramatta, with centres in Bankstown and Hurstville opening last week while centres at Blacktown, Cabramatta, Auburn, Liverpool and Campbelltown will open this week.

There are also plans for more stand-up vaccination centres in other LGAs of concern.

‘The pilot program is currently open on a voluntary basis to all CommBank employees, their families and members of their household, who live in the NSW LGAs of concern. Priority access is given to those in customer-facing roles,’ the bank said in a statement.

Another mass vaccination hub is opening on Monday at Penrith Panthers where people aged 16 to 39 living in that western Sydney LGA will be given priority to get a Pfizer jab.

Responding to a tip-off, police went to Christ Embassy Sydney church at 7.30pm on Sunday and found about 60 adults and children inside the Fourth Avenue building, participating in a sermon 

Police said there was no QR code at the entrance and some of the congregation came from other hot-spot LGAs, including Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield and Liverpool 

What are the new coronavirus restrictions? 

ACROSS NSW: 

– Wearing masks outside will be mandatory for everyone in NSW, unless they are exercising.

– Those who are exercising will still need to carry a mask with them at all times.

– People will need to put on a mask while exercising if they are in a busy area or cannot socially distance.

IN SYDNEY’S 12 LGA AREAS OF CONCERN:   

– Curfews will be introduced from 9pm to 5am, except for authorised workers, emergencies or medical care, to help reduce the movement of young people 

– Sydneysiders travelling into or out of the 12 LGAs of concern for work will also need to carry a permit 

– Outdoor exercise is limited to one hour per day 

– Click and collect only at garden centres and plant nurseries, office supplies, hardware and building , landscaping material , rural supplies, and pet supplies. Tradies are allowed to shop in-store where relevant 

– All exams and other education or professional development related activities will move online, not including the HSC.  

– These LGAs are Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield, and some suburbs of Penrith. 

POLICE GIVEN SPECIAL POWERS:   

– Power for the Commissioner of Police to lock down apartment blocks while NSW Health assesses the COVID risk 

– Power for the Commissioner of Police to declare a residential premise a COVID-risk and order all people to present to police during compliance checks 

– Powers to allow police to order anyone issued with an infringement notice to return home 

– If a person from outside an LGA of concern is found in an LGA of concern without reasonable excuse, they will be fined $1000 and required to isolate at home for 14 days. 

ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS FOR AREAS OF CONCERN  

– 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 work-site or they have had their first vaccination dose by August 30. 

– From August 28, authorised workers from LGAs of concern are required to carry a permit from Service NSW declaring they are authorised workers and can’t work from home. 

Meanwhile, hardware stores, office supply stores and other retail premises must close in hotspot LGAs except for click-and-collect purchases, and all exams and education activities will move online, except the HSC.

All of NSW is in lockdown and police have ramped up enforcement of restrictions as authorities battle to contain the spread of the Delta strain.

NSW reported 830 locally-acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday – another daily infection record – as well as three deaths.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people gathered at the Queensland-NSW border on Sunday to protest changes to entry requirements between the states, including a man on a large white horse.

NSW Police said protesters had crossed the border between Queensland at Coolangatta and NSW at Tweed Heads, with eight people arrested and 54 fined for breaching public health orders.

Lockdown settings will remain in place in regional NSW until at least August 28 and in Greater Sydney until at least September 30.

More to come 

Lockdown settings will remain in place in regional NSW until at least August 28 and in Greater Sydney until at least September 30

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