Covid NSW: State records surge in cases, two more deaths

NSW has recorded 141 new Covid cases on Sunday while a further two more deaths have been recorded in the state.

Of the new cases, 38 were infectious while in the community, Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Sunday, while 24 cases were in isolation for part of their infectious period.

The source of infection for 54 cases remains under investigation.

The state also saw a massive new record of 102,000 people who came forward for testing in the 24-hour period.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said it
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said it "broke her heart" to watch protesters clash with police on Saturday. Source: AAP

Two more people have died from Covid-19 with authorities notified overnight including a woman in her 70s and a woman in her 30s with no pre-existing conditions.

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"If anybody think this is a disease just affecting older people, please think again," Ms Berejiklian said.

It comes after thousands on people breached strict stay at home orders and descended on the city's CBD on Saturday to protest the lockdown. The premier labelled the protester's actions "disgusting" and chided them for putting their loved ones at risk.

Gladys urges people to dob in protesters

Ms Berejiklian said she was "heartbroken" by the scenes in Sydney yesterday and called on people involved to come forward.

"I would recommend that if anybody recognises people at the protest, contact Crime Stoppers.

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"Not only were police vigilant yesterday, but within the next week they will chase down anybody who did the wrong thing and make sure they are held to accountable," she said.

Police block the way to the marching protesters during an anti-lockdown rally in Sydney yesterday. Source: Getty
Police block the way to the marching protesters during an anti-lockdown rally in Sydney yesterday. Source: Getty

The violent clashes involving hordes of mask-less demonstrators have heighten fears of more community spread of the disease.

On Saturday, NSW recorded 163 daily new cases as contact tracers struggle to keep up with the worsening spread of the Delta variant.

The numbers of positive cases who were infectious while in the community remain stubbornly high each day, reducing any hope that lockdown measures will loosen in the coming weeks.

Don't assume indefinite lockdown, Premier says

However Ms Berejiklian said Sydneysiders should not assume they will be stuck with an indefinite lockdown.

"What we have been doing which is encouraging is not having major outbreaks throughout Greater metropolitan Sydney," she said.

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"While we all have to be vigilant … the fact that it has been contained in local government areas gives us heart that the strategies in place are working.

“Unfortunately a lot of people who have the virus or unintentionally spread the virus have been authorised workers, people in aged care, people who are doing the tasks that all of us rely on.”

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