NSW has reported a “disturbingly high” 478 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19, in another record-breaking day for the state’s escalating coronavirus outbreak. 

At least 91 of the new cases were circulating in the community for all or part of their infectious period in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday 15 August.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian expressed her “heartfelt condolences and sympathies” to eight families who lost a loved one, including 15-year-old Osama Suduh, who is the youngest person in Australia to die with the virus.

Three men in their 80s, a man in his 40s, a man in his 70s, a woman in her 70s, and a woman in her 80s make up the other deaths. 

The teenager from southwest Sydney died after contracting pneumococcal meningitis and while he also had COVID-19; it was not the reason for his admission or cause of death.

He was unvaccinated for COVID but up-to-date with his routine childhood vaccinations, Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick said in a statement on Monday.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said while he was vaccinated for that bacterial infection, it may not have covered the particular strain involved in his death. 

Dr Chant confirmed a virus outbreak in a mental health facility at Nepean Hospital in Penrith, along with another ward, had caused 30 cases there. 

Ms Berejiklian said the new record of nearly 157,000 tests was healthy to see, but the transmission numbers were “disturbingly high”.

Escalating cases were recorded in Greenacre, Bankstown, Merrylands, Guildford, Granville, Blacktown, Mount Druitt and Yagoona, the premier said. 

“These are the suburbs where the growth is continuing and we need people in those communities to just stay home,” she said.

The isolation status of 290 cases reported in the 24 hours to 8pm last night remains under investigation.

The death toll is now at 56 for this outbreak, which began mid-June, and half of all NSW COVID-19 deaths have come in this outbreak.

All of NSW was placed under strict lockdown on Saturday for one week while Greater Sydney and surrounding regions are in lockdown until at least 28 August.

The premier defended announcing the precautionary statewide lockdown on social media and not at her press conference beforehand, saying she was advised after it occurred of additional areas of concern. 

“There would have only been a handful of Local Government Areas (LGAs) that weren’t affected in regional NSW and it’s important for us to make sure we get the message out as quickly as possible.”

Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said almost 18,000 police would soon be supported by 1,800 members of the Australian Defence Force to enforce health orders. 

“Yes, there will be a focus on those LGAs of concern,” he said. 

Tougher non-compliance fines up to $5,000 are in place as Greater Sydney begins its eighth week of lockdown. 

Police issued 500 fines on Sunday, including 31 to teens at an eastern Sydney beachside party.

People in Greater Sydney are now limited to exercise or shopping within five kilometres of their home and they need a permit to travel to regional NSW, while single people in 12 LGA hotspots will need to register their “single buddies”.

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.

Numerous COVID-19 exposure sites were identified overnight at Mudgee, Orange and Bathurst.

AAP

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