NSW recorded 319 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
Of these locally acquired cases, 125 are linked to a known case or cluster – 108 are household contacts and 17 are close contacts – and the source of infection for 194 cases is under investigation.
138 were in isolation throughout their infectious period and 32 were in isolation for part of their infectious period. Fifty-one cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of 98 cases remains under investigation.
Two new cases were acquired overseas in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. The total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic is 10,478.
Sadly, NSW Health has been notified of the deaths of five people who had COVID-19.
A woman in her 80s, a man in his 80s and a man in his 90s, all from south west Sydney, died at Liverpool Hospital. These three deaths bring to five the number of deaths now linked to the Liverpool Hospital outbreak.
NSW Health has also been notified of the death of a man in his 60s from south west Sydney at Liverpool Hospital and a man in his 80s from the Inner West who died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. They acquired their infections in the community.
NSW Health extends our sincere sympathies to their loved ones. There have been 27 COVID-related deaths during the current outbreak and 84 since the beginning of the pandemic.
There have been 4,929 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in this recent outbreak was reported.
There are currently 345 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 56 people in intensive care, 23 of whom require ventilation.
There were 108,449 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day's total of 109,547.
NSW Health administered 26,152 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, including 7,999 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.
The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 4,316,065, with 1,636,730 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 2,679,335 administered by the GP network and other providers to 11.59pm on Thursday 5 August 2021.
Of the 319 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night, 112 are from South Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 98 are from Western Sydney LHD, 57 are from Sydney LHD, 23 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 20 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD, seven are from Northern Sydney LHD, two are from Hunter New England LHD.
Today, NSW Health can confirm four new cases of COVID-19 in the Newcastle area, bringing the number of cases in the area to eleven. Two of the four new cases are linked to previously announced cases and the source for two cases remains under investigation.
NSW Health has also been notified of two cases in Armidale overnight. These cases are a woman who is a close contact of a known case in the Newcastle area, where she visited overnight recently, and a household contact of hers.
To protect the people of NSW from the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, new restrictions will be introduced for the Armidale Regional LGA including the major town of Armidale and the town of Guyra, from 5pm today until 12.01am Sunday 15 August.
Following updated health advice from the Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant about the growing risk to the community, stay-at-home orders will apply to all people who live in these areas, or have been there on or after 29 July 2021.
The rules for these areas are the same as those already in place across Greater Sydney, including the Central Coast, and Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Singleton, Dungog, Muswellbrook and Cessnock.
Everyone in these areas must stay at home unless you have a reasonable excuse to leave. They also cannot have visitors in their home, except in limited circumstances This applies to all social visits from those outside your household, including family and friends.
There were no new cases on the Central Coast, following the nine cases announced on Thursday.
NSW Health's ongoing sewage surveillance program has detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 in the sewage systems in Dubbo, Shortland and Charmhaven.
The samples were collected on 5 August and none of these systems have known cases of COVID-19 living in any of the areas they serve.
The Dubbo sewage treatment plant serves about 37,000 people in the area.
The Shortland sewage treatment plant serves about 60,000 people from Cameron Park, Fletcher, Maryland, Shortland, Mayfield West, Stockton, Sandgate, Callaghan, Kooragang, Fern Bay and Fullerton Cove.
The Charmhaven sewage treatment plant serves about 59,000 people from Blue Haven, Charmhaven, Doyalson, Gorokan, Hamlyn Terrace, Kanwal, Kanwal, Lake Haven, San Remo, Wadalba, Warnervale and Wyong.
NSW Health urges everyone in all of these areas to be particularly vigilant for the onset of symptoms that could signal COVID-19, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.
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 410 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.
*notified from 8pm 5 August 2021 to 8pm 6 August 2021
Video of today's press conference will be uploaded to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - press conferences and video updates.