NSW Covid Cases Continue To Rise As 70% First Dose Target Is Met

New South Wales is set to reach the 70% first dose vaccination target by the end of the day, becoming the first state to do so. 

There are 1288 new cases of Covid-19 recorded till 8 pm last night and sadly 7 new deaths. 

They include a man in his 50s, a man and woman in their 70s and four people in their 80s who all passed away at hospitals in Sydney. One was the 12th death linked to the Liverpool Hospital outbreak. 

People living within the hot spot LGAs have been granted a new freedom: Residents are now allowed to engage in unlimited amounts of exercise within the 5 am to 9 pm timeframe. The 9 pm curfew remains in effect. 

Eighty per cent of infections remain in the western and south-western Sydney region. The LGAs of concern are Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Penrith, Strathfield and Randwick suburbs. 

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says new freedoms will be given once the population reaches the 70% double dose vaccination target, predicted for the middle of October, promising that “life will be a lot freer than what it is now.”

“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,” she said.

At the same time, we’re being warned in October we will see the highest rates of deaths and hospitalisation in this outbreak. 

Regional NSW Update 

There are 7 new cases in the Central Coast area with all infectious whilst in the community. 

Dr Kerry Chant says the situation is concerning given some cases are unlinked.

“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,” she said.

Sewerage fragments have been detected Bega, Cooma in Southern NSW and Bomaderry in the Illawarra Shoalhaven region. Authorities are concerned given there are no known cases in the region. People in the areas are asked to come forward for testing urgently. 

In the Illawarra/Shoalhaven region, there are 22 new cases, in Western Sydney, there are 23 new cases and the Hunter/New England area has detected 4 new cases.  

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