Thousands of NSW police have begun patrolling streets to enforce tough new COVID-19 regulations as a teenage boy becomes the youngest person in Australia to die with the virus.
Osama Suduh, 15, from southwest Sydney, died on Sunday night after contracting pneumococcal meningitis and COVID-19.
“What an incredible tragedy it was for that young man to die last night,” Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce told Seven’s Sunrise on Monday.
The teen’s death was confirmed by the Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick where he was being treated, the ABC reported.
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said on Sunday the boy’s family had given permission for his condition to be made public.
“I can confirm that there is someone admitted to hospital that is 15 and that the cause of their admission, while they are COVID positive, is related to another health condition,” she said.
Meanwhile, NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Mick Willing said from Monday, 1400 Highway Patrol officers would be on patrol backed by 800 Australian Defence Force soldiers.
“The unprecedented operation will see thousands of police officers from police districts and police area commands across the state working alongside our colleagues from the Australian Defence Force, enforcing the public health orders,” he said.
As NSW begins its eighth week of lockdown NSW Police Minister David Elliott says he hopes the loopholes are now closed as non-compliance fines up to $5000 kick in.
“I’m quietly confident now that the community has got the message that we’re not mucking around, that you won’t be allowed to offer up excuses,” he told The Nine Network on Monday.
On Sunday police issued 500 fines “including 31 kids at a party on the beachside. So we still have got a lot of work to do”, he said.
On Sunday NSW recorded 415 new cases and four more deaths with the death toll now at 48 for this outbreak which began mid-June.
People in Greater Sydney will need a permit to travel to regional NSW and single people in 12 LGA hotspots will need to register their “singles buddies”.
In newly locked down regional areas, people can only leave their home for an essential reason.
Everyone must carry masks at all times, no visitors are allowed in the home unless for carers’ responsibilities or for compassionate reasons, and those in a relationship.
A test and isolate payment of $320 will also start this week for workers 17 and over who have symptoms of COVID-19 and live in government areas of concern.
NSW Labor leader Chris Minns wants that payment made available statewide.
“The test and isolate payment must be in every part of NSW,” Mr Minns said.
With all of NSW now under lockdown rules, all schoolchildren will be learning from home.
While the NSW Department of Education has confirmed that someone at Blacktown North Public School has tested positive, which will mean the school will be non-operational on Monday.
MLC School in Burwood will be partly closed on Monday after two cases were linked to its senior campus in the city’s inner west.
More than half of the new 415 locally acquired cases to 8pm on Saturday were from Sydney’s west and southwest, with the suburbs of Blacktown, Mount Druitt, Marayong, Merrylands, Auburn and Guildford causing the most concern.
In the state’s west 21 new cases were identified. Health officials are worried, especially in relation to vulnerable Indigenous communities.
Overnight numerous COVID-19 exposure sites were also identified at Mudgee, Orange and Bathurst.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said five million vaccines had been given out in NSW with half the state’s eligible population having now received their first dose.
She also welcomed the 500,000 Pfizer vaccines to be supplied to NSW by the Commonwealth.
AAP
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