NSW breaks 1000 COVID-19 case barrier for first time as new freedoms unveiled

New South Wales has reported 1,029 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths, while the government has announced outdoor gatherings of up to five fully-vaccinated people will be allowed from mid-September.

Of the new cases, which represent another record daily increase, only 185 are linked to current outbreaks and 91 were isolated throughout their infectious period. 

All three people who died - a man in his 30s, a man in his 60s and a man in his 80s - were unvaccinated. The death toll for the current NSW outbreak now sits at 79.

There are almost 700 COVID-19 patients in hospitals in NSW, with 116 in intensive care beds and 43 ventilated. 

NSW recorded 1,029 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Of these locally acquired cases, 185 are linked to a known case or cluster â€" 160 are household contacts and 25 are close contacts â€" source of infection for 844 cases under investigation pic.twitter.com/6VcaKAXjno

â€" NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 26, 2021

A record 136,00 vaccinations took place on Wednesday.

After hitting the milestone earlier this week of six million vaccinations administered, new freedoms for fully jabbed residents will be put in place from 13 September.

People who are doubled dosed and live outside of LGAs of concern will be able to gather outside in groups of five, within five kilometres from home. 

Households inside LGAs of concern who are fully vaccinated will also be able to gather outdoors but need to follow existing restrictions around curfews and exercise limits. They may not gather with people outside their households.

 

It's also been confirmed the regional NSW lockdown is being extended until midnight Friday 10 September amid concern about the number of cases.

Thirty five new cases have been found in the Western NSW Local Health District, 71 cases in the Nepean Blue Mountains district, six in the Far West, two in Illawarra Shoalhaven and two on the Central Coast There were no new cases in the Hunter New England district. 

Deputy premier John Barilaro described regional NSW as “sitting on a knife’s edge”. 

“It is a tinder box waiting to explode,” he said.

More to come.

With AAP.

SBS is providing live translations of daily New South Wales and Victoria COVID-19 press conferences in various languages. Click here for more information.

Share this post