Covid NSW: 1,290 more cases as Australia passes grim milestone
NSW sets new daily case record of 1,290
National deaths surpasses 1,000
Virus spilling from LGAs of concern
Four further Covid-related deaths in NSW have taken the nation's toll beyond the grim milestone of 1,000 deaths.
It comes as the state reported 1,290 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Monday, setting yet another record. It follows 1,218 cases announced on Sunday.
There have now been 93 Covid-related deaths from the Delta outbreak which began on June 16. The nation's death toll stands at 1,003.
"While every day we read out the statistics, we know that behind every death there is a family and those who are mourning," Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters.
The four deaths announced on Monday were a man in his 50s in Dubbo, two men in their 70s and a woman in her 60s. The Dubbo death is the first in regional NSW during the latest outbreak.
She envisaged a further rise in deaths as intensive care units continue to fill with Covid patients.
"We anticipate that the worst month, the worst time for our intensive care unit will be in October," she said.
In NSW, there are 840 COVID-19 patients in hospital, with 137 people in intensive care and 48 ventilated.
Vaccine push 'outstanding', Berejiklian says
Ms Berejiklian praised the state's vaccine rates, with more than 6.8million jabs now administered, with August's 6 million target well surpassed.
“Vaccination is the key in terms of our freedom and reducing the spread of the virus,” Ms Berejiklian reiterated.
She said the state is now nearing 900,000 jabs every week.
"That is outstanding," she told reporters.
The NSW government on Sunday committed to restoring personal freedoms to fully vaccinated residents once the state hits 70 per cent double-dose coverage, regardless of COVID-19 case numbers.
This is expected in roughly mid-October.
Ms Berejiklian said again more than 80 per cent of the cases are occurring in western and southwestern Sydney.
Covid spilling into suburbs neighbouring LGAs of concern
Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said cases were beginning to spill over into neighbouring LGAs, creeping into the Inner West.
She identified Marrickville as a suburb that has seen a rise in cases, particularly in factories and other workplaces. Similarly Ryde and Meadowbank were experiencing a rise in cases, where workers from these suburbs entering LGAs of concern for work.
"Everyone needs to feel the Covid risk," Dr Chant said.
"People do move around by necessity and no-one can assume that they are in an area where there is no COVID cases."
Dr Chant said Guildford, Merrylands, Auburn, Greenacre, Yagoona, Punchbowl and Blacktown were suburbs experiencing the highest growth in cases.
She added she was "very concerned" over positive sewage detection in Trangie in western NSW and in Byron Bay.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said there were "concerns" over unlinked cases in regional NSW, with a further 51 cases in Western NSW announced.
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