NSW records a staggering 319 new Covid cases as the regional town of Armidale goes into lockdown

New South Wales has recorded 319 new Covid cases and five deaths following the announcement Armidale, 500km away from Sydney’s Covid epicentre, would go into a snap lockdown.  

NSW Health said 51 cases were out in the community while infectious while five people have died from the virus.

The latest deaths are a woman in her 80s, a man in his 80s, and a man in his 90s all from south west Sydney and who died at Liverpool Hospital.

Another man in his 60s from south-west Sydney and a man in his 80s from the inner west have also died. 

Member for Armidale Adam Marshall confirmed the LGA will go into lockdown from 5pm today after a woman tested positive to Covid.

The town – which is home to 29,704 residents – is almost six hours drive away from Sydney CBD.

Further details about what restrictions will be in place and for how long have not been announced as yet.   

Member for Armidale Adam Marshall confirmed the LGA will go into lockdown from 5pm today after a woman tested positive to Covid

Armidale will go into a snap lockdown 500km away from Sydney’s Covid epicentre after the region recorded a positive case of the virus (pictured, the local post office)

Sydney recorded its highest ever spike in cases since the pandemic began with 291 new infections on Friday.

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian admitted the latest outbreak was showing no signs of relenting with one new death, 12 workers testing positive at a KFC and cases rising in south-west suburbs.  

‘I am expecting higher case numbers in the next few days and I just want everyone to be prepared for that,’ she said at a press conference on Friday. 

The new cases smash the previous record of 262 infections that were reported on Thursday. There were 110,000 tests conducted in the past 24 hours.  

An unvaccinated woman in her 60s, from south-west Sydney, has also died at Liverpool Hospital. She is the 79th person in the state to succumb to the virus since the start of the pandemic. 

Residents are seen enjoying a swim at Bronte Beach on Saturday morning

Mounted police patrol Centennial Park in Sydney as cases continue to surge

Chief Health officer Dr Kerry Chant said the woman had contracted Covid-19 from a healthcare worker.  

‘Sadly, the lady was exposed by a health worker who worked across two wards, the aged-care ward and the ward this woman was in,’ she said.

‘There are a large number of people impacted by that. I extend my apologies and sympathies to the family.’ 

A concerning 12 staff members have also tested positive at a KFC on Canterbury Road at Punchbowl. 

The venue has now been listed as an exposure site with customers told to immediately isolate and get tested if they visited the KFC between July 22 and August 2.  

Of the new cases on Friday, 50 were out in the community while they were infectious. 

Ms Berejiklian noted that the highest increase of cases were being recorded in the Canterbury-Bankstown local government areas – one of eight LGAs that are currently under hard lockdown.

She warned more police officers would be patrolling the area – less than a week after deploying defence force personnel on Monday. 

Suburbs that have recorded the biggest spike in cases include Campsie, Bankstown, Lakemba, Punchbowl, Wiley Park, Yagoona, Greenacre, Earlwood, Bass Hill and Chester Hill.  

Year 12 students living in the eight local government areas under hard lockdown will also be unable to return to the classrooms as planned by August 16.  

‘Trials will be done at home and at least it means that there is certainty and all students know they will qualify for the HSC,’ Ms Berejiklian said. 

Meanwhile, their peers in other parts of Sydney will be allowed to visit their schools if necessary. 

High school students will be able to receive their Pfizer doses at Qudos Bank Arena from Monday.  

‘HSC students in those eight local government areas will be invited to get the Pfizer jab … and we do encourage your student to make sure they come forward for that opportunity,’ Ms Berejiklian said. 

Health Minister Brad Hazzard encouraged students to ‘go for gold’ and get their jabs.  

The new cases come as the Newcastle and Hunter regions join Greater Sydney in lockdown and begin the first of their seven-day stay-at-home orders.  

The snap lockdown was called after five new cases turned up in Newcastle and eight more were found in the Central Coast region on Thursday.

Of the new cases recorded on Friday, two were in the Newcastle region.

One was a woman in her 60s linked to a Central Coast case reported yesterday, while the other was a woman in her 20s who is a household contact of a positive case. 

The local government areas that have been affected by the lockdown are Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Cessnock, Dungog, Singleton and Muswellbrook.  

Dr Chant said the outbreak in the Hunter region was almost certainly linked to a party held at Blacksmiths Beach south of Newcastle last Friday night.

She said authorities believe some of those at the party may have broken laws to travel there from Sydney despite the city’s residents being banned from entering regional NSW for non-essential reasons. 

Five people died in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday – three men in their 60s, a man in his 70s and a woman in her 80s. None were fully vaccinated. 

It was the deadliest day of the pandemic, and recorded the highest daily number of cases.

Also in NSW, a 34-year-old woman died of a rare clotting syndrome caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine, the Therapeutic Goods Administration reported on Thursday. 

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says vaccination is the way out of the crisis which has shut down Greater Sydney for almost six weeks.

She said restrictions will remain in some form until 80 per cent of people are vaccinated, and wants 50 per cent jabbed by the end of the month. 

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