NSW has had more than 50,000 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, as the state continues to report virus-related deaths.
There were 1331 more locally acquired coronavirus cases confirmed on Saturday, and six people with the virus have died in the latest reporting period, NSW Health’s Jeremy McAnulty said.
The latest figures, capturing the 24 hours up to 8pm Friday, mean that since the start of the pandemic, there have been 50,730 COVID cases in NSW and 284 deaths.
Among the latest fatalities are four women and two men from Sydney’s west and southwest. One was aged in their 40s, another in their 60s, two in their 70s and two in their 80s. Three of the deceased people had received one vaccination.
There are 1219 COVID patients in hospital, with 233 in intensive care and 123 on ventilators. Of those in ICU, 173 are unvaccinated, 55 have received one dose, and five were fully vaccinated.
“We are continuing to see most cases acquired in southwest and western Sydney,” Dr McAnulty said.
The latest case numbers include patients from regional NSW, with 75 in the Illawarra, 17 in western NSW including 10 in Dubbo, six in the far west including four at Broken Hill, and eight in southern NSW.
There are 30 new cases across the Hunter/New England district, including 16 in Lake Macquarie and seven in Newcastle.
Several regional areas will spend this weekend back in lockdown.
The Glen Innes Severn council area, inland from Coffs Harbour, is subject to a week-long lockdown after a COVID-19 case was detected.
As a result, Queensland has reinstated border restrictions with the region.
The Hilltops local government area in the state’s southwest, which encompasses the town of Young, is also under seven-day restrictions.
Albury and Lismore were sent back into a week-long lockdown on Thursday.
On Saturday, NSW data showed 50.6 per cent of the eligible population aged more than 16 had been fully vaccinated as of Friday.
Across the state, 81.2 per cent have received a first jab.
In total, there have been almost 3.2 million vaccination doses administered in NSW.
“The more people who get vaccinated, the more protection they’re providing for their family, friends and community,” Dr McAnulty said.
Of NSW’s total COVID-19 case count, more than 47,000 are considered to be “locally acquired”, with 3452 coming from overseas, and 99 from interstate.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced a trial to begin within weeks that could allow Australians stranded overseas to quarantine at home.
The test run involves 175 vaccinated people quarantining at home for seven days, monitored by geolocation and facial-recognition technology.
If successful, it is expected the NSW government would move to rapidly scale-up the program to allow many more international arrivals.
Hotel quarantine arrangements would remain for unvaccinated people, under the plan.
There are more than 40,000 Australians stranded overseas due to border closures and Ms Berejiklian told reporters on Friday she hoped many of them could be home for Christmas.
The Business Council of Australia has welcomed the plan, saying the nation needs to get rid of bottlenecks, such as hotel quarantine, that stop Australians returning home and prevent skilled workers entering the country.
AAP
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