NSW recorded 478 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
Of these locally acquired cases, 141 are linked to a known case or cluster – 120 are household contacts and 21 are close contacts – and the source of infection for 337 cases is under investigation.
Ninety-seven cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period and 30 were in isolation for part of their infectious period. Sixty-one cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of 290 remains under investigation.
Two new cases were acquired overseas in the 24 hours to 8pm last night and five previously reported cases were excluded following further investigation. This brings the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 13,789.
Sadly, NSW Health has been notified of the deaths of eight people who had COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
A man in his 80s from south west Sydney died at Campbelltown Hospital.
A man in his 40s from south west Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital.
A woman in her 70s from Sydney’s northern suburbs died at Royal North Shore Hospital.
A woman in her 80s from Sydney’s inner west died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. She was a resident of the Wyoming Residential Aged Care Facility and is the third death linked to this cluster.
A man in his 70s from south west Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital. He was a patient in the geriatric ward at the hospital and is the eighth death linked to this outbreak.
A man in his 80s from western Sydney who died at Nepean Hospital.
A 15-year-old boy from south west Sydney died at Sydney Children’s Hospital. He was receiving treatment for a serious medical condition and was a confirmed COVID case.
NSW Health extends its deepest sympathies to their loved ones.
This brings the number of COVID-related deaths to 56 since June 16, and the number of lives lost to 112 since the beginning of the pandemic.
There have been 8,218 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in this outbreak was reported.
There are currently 391 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 66 people in intensive care, 28 of whom require ventilation.
There were a record 156,495 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 126,790.
NSW Health administered 18,968 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, including 6,188 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.
NSW Health administered 191,077 vaccines in the week ending Sunday 15 August, including 54,508 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.
The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 5,069,640, with 1,859,746 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 3,209,894 administered by the GP network and other providers to 11:59pm on Saturday, 14th August 2021.
Of the 478 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night, 183 are from Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 144 are from South Western Sydney LHD, 43 are from Sydney LHD, 35 are from Western NSW LHD, 25 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD, 18 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 16 are from Hunter New England LHD, four are from Northern Sydney LHD, two are from Central Coast LHD, two are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD and six cases are yet to be assigned to an LHD.
Everyone in NSW must stay at home unless they have a reasonable excuse to leave. They also cannot have visitors in their home from outside their household, including family and friends. People still can have one visitor at one time to fulfil carers' responsibilities or provide care or assistance, or for compassionate reasons, including where two people are in a relationship but do not live together.
In Greater Sydney and other lockdown areas, the 10-kilometre rule has been reduced from 12.01am today (Monday, August 16) with shopping, exercise and outdoor recreation to be done in a person’s local government area (LGA) or, if outside their LGA, within 5 kilometres of home. People in the LGAs of concern must still exercise and shop within 5 kilometres from home only.
Only exercise and supervision of children is allowed (no outdoor recreation) in LGAs of concern.
Under the changes, there will be increased fines for Public Health Order breaches, a permit system to enter regional NSW and tightened rules for people in LGAs of concern to help reduce the spread of the Delta variant.
Increased fines for Public Health Order breaches (from 12:01am today, Monday, 16 August):
NSW Health's ongoing sewage surveillance program has detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the Bourke, Lennox Head, Parkes and Wallacia sewage treatment plants in recent days.
The Bourke sewage treatment plant serves about 2,000 people, the Lennox Head sewage treatment plant serves about 7,700 people, Parkes serves about 11,600 people and the Wallacia sewage treatment plant serves about 6,882 people from Warragamba, Mulgoa, Silverdale and Wallacia.
These detections are of particular concern, as there are no recent known cases of COVID-19 in these areas. Everyone in these areas is urged to monitor for the onset of symptoms, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.
NSW Health is introducing a new measure to ensure people continue to receive prompt notification of their COVID-19 positive test result.
Confirmed cases will receive a text message from NSW Health as soon as a positive result is reported by private and public laboratories.
This will contain advice for them to continue to isolate, and for their household contacts to get tested and isolate. A link to information resources and a phone number will also be provided.
The text message will also prompt people to seek medical care if they are unwell.
NSW Health will follow up with the confirmed case as soon as possible to conduct an in-depth interview to identify additional close contacts.
If you are directed to get tested for COVID‑19 or self-isolate at any time, you must follow the rules whether or not the venue or exposure setting is listed on the NSW Health website.
It remains vital that anyone who has any symptoms or is a close or casual contact of a person with COVID-19, isolates and is tested immediately. When testing clinics are busy, please ensure you stay in line, identify yourself to staff and tell them that you have symptoms or are a contact of a case.
Please check the NSW Government website regularly, and follow the relevant health advice if you have attended a venue of concern or travelled on a public transport route at the same time as a confirmed case of COVID-19. This list is being updated regularly as case investigations proceed.
There are more than 420 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit COVID-19 clinics or contact your GP.
Note: Case counts reported for a particular day may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case review. *notified from 8pm 14 August 2021 to 8pm 15 August 2021 **from 8pm 9 August 2021 to 8pm 15 August 2021
*notified from 8pm 14 August 2021 to 8pm 15 August 2021
Video of today's press conference will be uploaded to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - press conferences and video updates.