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Premier’s desperate plea as NSW records 239 new Covid cases

NSW has reported 239 new cases of community-transmitted coronavirus.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Sunday most of the cases are in Sydney's west and southwest and pleaded with residents to get any Covid vaccine available to them.

“Having said that, we don't want to see the virus spread further and we certainly don't want to see households, whole households become infected because one person has brought the virus into their home," the premier said.

“Today is August 1 and I am calling upon the people of Greater Sydney, greater New South Wales to come forward and get vaccinated.

"To get to the 70 per cent target we need 9.2 million jabs. To get the 80 per cent target we need 10 million jabs. We have been talking about this in New South Wales for some time.”

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian takes questions during a COVID-19 update and press conference in Sydney, Australia.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian during a press conference earlier this week. Source: Getty Images

More than 21,300 Covid-19 vaccines were administered in the 24 hours up to 8pm on Saturday. In total, more than 3.8 million doses have been given in NSW by the health department and a further 2.3 million by GPs.

Of the 54 people in intensive care for Covid in NSW, 49 were not vaccinated. The other five included on person who had their first dose of Pfizer and four others who had their first AstraZeneca vaccination.

Premier on Queensland, Victoria lockdowns

Ms Berejiklian was asked whether she underestimated the Delta variant of Covid-19 and if she regrets not locking down sooner like her Queensland and NSW counterparts.

Victoria came out of lockdown on Tuesday after bringing in restrictions on July 15. Queensland re-introduced a lockdown on Saturday at 4pm which at this stage is expected to last until Tuesday.

Meanwhile, NSW's lockdown is scheduled to finish on August 28. Greater Sydney and surrounding areas have been under lockdown for a month already.

People are seen crossing Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne.
People cross the Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne on Wednesday after lockdown ended. Source: AAP

But the premier said "there is no roadmap for the Delta variant" and "no perfect way" to deal with it.

“The benefit of hindsight is a great thing to have but other states might be facing regular lockdowns in and out all the time, what I am saying for New South Wales is we want this to be, yes it is painful, but we want this to be the last lockdown we have and we can make that happen if we get vaccinated," she said.

"We knew early on this was a scary variant.

"We also never know, this is a challenge with Delta, the undetected strains of transmission which may have been in the community and that is really critical to assess.”

Will the lockdown end on August 28?

Ms Berejiklian said she believes "of course" NSW can turn the outbreak around by August 28.

“There are a lot of things dependent on that. Firstly, high rates of vaccination, especially in southwestern and Western Sydney where we know the virus is particularly virulent,” she said.

“Secondly, people continuing to do the right thing and higher rates of testing.

“We know that we have been successful in preventing thousands and thousands of cases until this point in time.

“But we also know how challenging it is to reduce the number of cases that we have, but with higher rates of vaccination we can do it.

"With higher rates of testing we can do it and let's make August the month where more and more people come forward and get vaccinated because the vaccine is protecting human life, is bringing people out of hospital but it is also helping reduce the spread.”

Police officers check ID cards of people walking in the CBD in order to prevent an anti-lockdown protest, during lockdown in Sydney, Australia.
Police patrol the Sydney CBD. Source: Getty Images

Two days of more than 200 new local cases has led to several additional Covid exposure sites including Target and IGA.

People who visited close contact venues are being asked to get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days regardless of their test result.

Visitors to casual contact venues will have to get tested and self-isolate until they receive a negative result on their Covid-19 test.

For a full list of potential exposure sites click here.

Close contact sites

  • World of Fruit, Campsie - July 25, 10.40am to 11am

Police officers checking people and their purpose of movement into the CBD in Sydney, Australia.
NSW Police check IDs of people entering Sydney's CBD on Saturday ahead of an anticipated anti-lockdown protest. Source: Getty Images

Casual contact sites

  • Woolworths Double Bay - July 18, 5.30pm to 5.45pm and July 19, 4.30pm to 4.45pm

  • Ya Ya Bakery, Yagoona - July 19, 6.45am to 7am

  • Mina Pizza, Liverpool - July 20, 9am to 10am

  • Woolworths, Granville - July 21, 6.20pm to 6.50pm

  • La Vigne Bakery, Eastwood - July 22, 11.40am to 11.55am

  • Aldi St Marys - July 22, 5.30pm to 5.45pm

  • Target, Glenquarie Town Centre Click and Collect - July 22, 9am to 7pm; July 23, 9am to 5pm; July 25, 9am to 5pm; Monday, 9am to 5pm and Tuesday, 9am to 5pm

  • The Smelly Cheesecake, Wentworth Point - July 24, 9.25am to 9.35am

  • Evergreen Fresh World, Burwood - July 24, 2.45pm to 3.15pm

  • IGA St Marys - July 24, 4pm to 4.15pm

  • Woolworths Lakemba - July 24, 10.30am to 10.40am

  • Aussie Farm Fresh, Bankstown - Wednesday, 8.40am to 8.50am

Covid deaths occurring at homes

NSW Health's Dr Jeremy McAnulty confirmed four people have died at home from coronavirus.

"The message is don't wait, if you have any even mild symptoms, come forward for testing right away," Dr McAnulty said.

"Don't wait."

He added "sadly" one death "a couple of days ago" was a person subsequently diagnosed with the virus after they died.

In total, 14 people have died from Covid-19 in the latest NSW outbreak.

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