Covid update: Two new cases linked to Newcastle cluster

TWO new Covid-19 cases have been recorded in the Newcastle area during the last 24 hours, one woman in her 60s and another woman in her 20s.

The 60 year old woman is linked to an existing cluster and the 20 year old woman is a household contact of another positive Covid-19 case.

There are now seven total cases in the Hunter region.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the government does not plan to place “a ring of steel” around regional New South Wales by means of harsher travel bans, as rules have been tightened “as much as they can.”

“Delta doesn’t understand borders, it doesn’t understand boundaries. We are dealing with a different strain and unless you have literally a police officer outside every single household in New South Wales, or on every single road, a ring of steel does not prevent Delta from seeping out,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“Dr Chant and I have said what’s happening in New South Wales is a national emergency, because Delta acts differently to any other type of Covid-19 strain that we’ve had and we have to accept that,” she said.

“Therefore we have to accept the best way to get us out of this difficult situation is obviously people doing the right thing, stay at home, don’t leave unless you have to, but also, get vaccinated,” she said.

“Those two things will help us more than anything in getting through this difficult time,” said Ms Berejiklian. 

New South Wales recorded 291 new locally acquired cases up to 8pm last night, the highest daily case number since the outbreak began in June.

“I do want to foreshadow that given this high number of cases, we are likely to see this trend continue for the next few days so everybody prepare themselves for higher case numbers in the next few days,” said Premier Berejiklian.

Of these locally acquired cases, 120 are linked to a known case or cluster and the source of infection for 171 cases remains under investigation.

Only 91 people were in isolation throughout their entire infectious period, 48 were in isolation for part of their infectious period and 48 people were infectious in the community.

The isolation status of 104 cases remains under investigation.

There are currently 304 people in hospital, with 50 people in intensive care and 22 who require ventilation.

Sadly, a woman in her 60s from south-west Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital yesterday.

The woman was unvaccinated and is the 22nd person to die as a result of the current outbreak.

Covid-19 case breakdown

Cases:

• 291 new locally acquired cases;
• 120 are linked to a known case or cluster;
• 95 are household contacts;
• 25 are close contacts;
• 171 cases remain under investigation;
• 91 cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period;
• 48 cases were in isolation for part of their infectious period;
• 48 cases were infectious in the community;
• 104 cases are under investigation for their isolation status.

Hospitalisation:

• 304 cases have been admitted to hospital;
• 50 people are in the Intensive Care Unit;
• 22 people require ventilation.

Vaccines:

• NSW Health administered 24,894 vaccines during the last 24 hours;
• 4,221,181 total vaccines have been administered in NSW since February.