NSW recorded 818 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
Of these locally acquired cases, 120 are linked to a known case or cluster - 94 are household contacts and 26 are close contacts - and the source of infection for 698 cases is under investigation.
Forty-seven cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period and 15 were in isolation for part of their infectious period. Forty-two cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of 714 cases remains under investigation.
No new cases were acquired overseas in the 24 hours to 8pm last night and 15 previously reported cases have been excluded following further investigation. The total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic is 18,611.
There have been 13,022 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in this outbreak was reported.
Sadly, NSW Health has been notified of the deaths of three people who had COVID-19.
A man in his 80s from south-west Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital, where he acquired his infection. His is the 11th death linked to an outbreak at the hospital's geriatric ward.
A man in his 80s from Newcastle died at John Hunter Hospital, having acquired his infection at the RFBI Hawkins Masonic Village in Edgeworth. This is the second death linked to an outbreak at this aged care facility.
A woman in her 80s from south-west Sydney died at Campbelltown Hospital.
NSW Health extends its deepest sympathies to their loved ones.
This brings the number of COVID-related deaths to 74 since 16 June, and the number of lives lost to 130 since the beginning of the pandemic.
There are currently 586 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 100 people in intensive care, 32 of whom require ventilation.
There were 311,083 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day's total of 206,193.
Around 140,000 of these tests form part of a now cleared backlog of negative results which were unable to be processed on the day they were notified.
| Cases | Count |
|---|---|
| Confirmed cases (incl. interstate residents in NSW health care facilities) | 18,611 |
| Deaths (in NSW from confirmed cases) | 130 |
| Total tests carried out | 12,114,261 |
| Total vaccinations administered in NSW | 5,951,886 |
NSW Health administered 42,147 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, including 10,952 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.
NSW Health administered a record 299,205 vaccines in the week ending Sunday 22 August, including 76,206 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.
The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 5,951,886, with 2,158,951 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 3,792,935 administered by the GP network and other providers to 11:59pm on Saturday 21 August 2021.
Of the 818 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night, 350 are from Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 237 are from South Western Sydney LHD, 74 are from Sydney LHD, 56 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 35 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD, 24 are from Western NSW LHD, 19 are from Northern Sydney LHD, three are from Far West LHD, two are from Hunter New England LHD, two are from Central Coast LHD, two are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, and 14 cases are yet to be assigned to an LHD.
As of today, the following additional rule applies across Greater Sydney (including regional NSW) until 28 August:
- Mask wearing will be mandatory when outside your home, except when exercising.
The following additional rules apply for residents and businesses in LGAs of concern:
- Curfews from 9pm to 5am (except for authorised workers, emergencies or medical care) to help reduce the movement of young people;
- Outdoor exercise is limited to one hour per day;
- The following retail premises must close except for click and collect: garden centres and plant nurseries, office supplies, hardware and building supplies, landscaping material supplies, rural supplies, and pet supplies (tradespeople are allowed to shop in-store where relevant); and
- All exams and other education or professional development related activities will move online, not including the HSC.
The following new restrictions around workplaces and authorised workers from the LGAs of concern have been introduced:
- Childcare workers and disability support workers who live or work in the LGAs of concern must have their first vaccination dose by 30 August;
- Authorised workers who work outside their LGA of concern are only permitted to work if rapid antigen testing is implemented at their worksite, they have had a PCR test or they have had their first vaccination dose by 30 August;
- From Saturday 28 August, authorised workers from the LGAs of concern are required to carry a permit from Service NSW declaring that they are an authorised worker and cannot work from home; and
- From Saturday 28 August, anyone entering an LGA of concern for the purposes of work must carry a worker permit issued by Service NSW.
From today, workers from the Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland and Fairfield LGAs no longer need to have been tested for COVID-19 in the previous 72 hours to work outside their LGA.
NSW Health's ongoing sewage surveillance program has recently detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the sewage treatment plants in Bateau Bay and Cobar. The Bateau Bay sewage treatment plant serves around 39,000 people and includes the suburbs of Bateau Bay, Blue Bay, Killarney Vale, Long Jetty, Shelly Beach, The Entrance, The Entrance North and Toowoon Bay. The Cobar sewage treatment plant serves around 4,000 people.
Everyone in these areas 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 more than 450 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit COVID-19 testing clinics or contact your GP.
Likely source of confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW:
| Likely source of infection | Cases past 24 hours* | Cases past 7 days** | All cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overseas | 0 | 15 | 3,400 |
| Interstate | 0 | 3 | 94 |
| Locally acquired - linked to known case or cluster | 120 | 1,565 | 8,377 |
| Locally acquired - no links to known case or cluster | 0 | 19 | 508 |
| Locally acquired - investigation ongoing | 698 | 3,228 | 6,232 |
| Under initial investigation | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 818 | 4,830 | 18,611 |
Note: Case counts reported for a particular day may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case review.
*notified from 8pm 21 August 2021 to 8pm 22 August 2021
**from 8pm 16 August 2021 to 8pm 22 August 2021
COVID-19 vaccination update COVID-19 vaccination update
| COVID-19 vaccination doses administered in NSW | Doses past 24 hours* | All doses |
|---|---|---|
| NSW Health - first doses | 37,696 | 1,358,096 |
| NSW Health - second doses | 4,451 | 800,855 |
| Total | 42,147 | 2,158,951 |
*notified from 8pm 21 August 2021 to 8pm 22 August 2021
Video of today's press conference will be uploaded to our website.
