18 September 2021

NSW recorded 1,331 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Two cases were acquired overseas, and 25 previously reported cases have been excluded following further investigation. The total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic is 50,730.

Sadly, NSW Health is today reporting the deaths of six people with COVID-19 – four women and two men from western and south western Sydney.

One person was in their 40s, one person was in their 60s, two people were in their 70s and two people were in their 80s.

Three of the six people who died were not vaccinated and three had received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

One person, a man in his 70s from western Sydney, acquired his infection overseas.

NSW Health extends its deepest sympathy to their loved ones.

There have been 228 COVID-19 related deaths in NSW since 16 June 2021, and 284 in total since the start of the pandemic.

There have been 45,085 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in this outbreak was reported.

There are currently 1,219 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 233 people in intensive care, 123 of whom require ventilation.

There were 120,954 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day's total of 155,334

CasesCount
Confirmed cases (including interstate residents in NSW health care facilities) 50,730
Deaths (in NSW from confirmed cases)284
Total tests carried out15,693,965
Total vaccinations administered in NSW8,720,728

NSW Health administered 32,994 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, including 5,125 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.

Across NSW, 81.2 per cent of the over-16 population has received a first dose COVID-19 vaccine, and 50.6 per cent are fully vaccinated to 11:59pm on Thursday 16 September 2021.

The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 8,720,728 with 3,183,957 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 5,536,771 administered by the GP network and other providers to 11:59pm on Thursday 16 September 2021.

Of the 1,331 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night, 400 are from South Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 326 are from Western Sydney LHD, 164 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD, 160 are from Sydney LHD, 75 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, 47 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 40 are from Northern Sydney LHD, 30 are from Hunter New England LHD, 29 are from Central Coast LHD, 17 are from Western NSW LHD, 8 are from Southern NSW LHD, six are from Far West LHD, four are from Murrumbidgee LHD, eight are in correctional settings and 17 cases are yet to be assigned to an LHD.

NSW Health's ongoing sewage surveillance program has detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the Byron Bay and Wardell sewage treatment plants in Northern NSW LHD, the Eden sewage treatment plant in Southern NSW LHD, the Balranald sewage treatment plant in Far West LHD, and the Griffith sewage treatment plant in Murrumbidgee LHD.

Everyone 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.

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 500 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.

Likely source of confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW

Likely source of infectionCases past 24 hours*Cases past 7 days**All cases
Overseas2163,452
Interstate0399
Locally acquired1,3318.80747,179
Total 1,333 8,82650,730

Note: Case counts reported for a particular day may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case review.
*notified from 8pm 16 September 2021 to 8pm 17 September 2021
**from 8pm 11 September 2021 to 8pm 17 September 2021

COVID-19 vaccination update

COVID-19 vaccination doses administered in NSW Doses past 24 hours* All doses
NSW Health – first doses11,8462,030,749
NSW Health – second doses 21,1481,153,208
Total 32,994 3,183,957

*notified from 8pm 16 September 2021 to 8pm 17 September 2021

NSW COVID-19 vaccination rate Total*
All providers – first doses81.2%
All providers – fully vaccinated 50.6%

*to 11.59pm 16 September 2021

A video of today's press conference will be uploaded to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - press conferences and video updates.