COVID-19 UPDATE

NSW recorded 644 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Of these locally acquired cases, 134 are linked to a known case or cluster – 107 are household contacts and 27 are close contacts – and the source of infection for 508 cases is under investigation.

Sixty-five cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period and 30 were in isolation for part of their infectious period. Forty-one cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of 506 cases remains under investigation.

Two cases acquired their infection in the ACT and are in isolation in southern NSW.

Two new cases were acquired overseas in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. The total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic now stands at 16,164.

Sadly, NSW Health has been notified of the deaths of four people who had COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

A woman in her 80s from Sydney’s inner west died at Royal North Shore Hospital. She was a resident at Wyoming Aged Care Facility and is the fourth death linked to this cluster.

A man in his 70s from south-east Sydney died at St George Hospital, where he acquired his infection.

A man in his 80s from western Sydney died at Nepean Hospital, where he acquired his infection.

There have now been two deaths linked to the outbreak at Nepean Hospital. A previously reported COVID-19 death – a man in his 70s from western Sydney who died on 17 August at Nepean Hospital – is now also linked to this outbreak.

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 65 since 16 June, and the number of lives lost to 121 since the beginning of the pandemic.

There have been 10,582 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in this outbreak was reported.  

There are currently 470 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 80 people in intensive care, 27 of whom require ventilation.

There were 127,590 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 119,310.

NSW Health administered a record 46,645 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, including 9,823 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park. 

The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 5,606,572, with 2,021,684 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 3,584,888 administered by the GP network and other providers to 11.59pm on Wednesday 18 August.

Of the 644 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night, 256 are from Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 222 are from South Western Sydney LHD, 47 are from Sydney LHD, 35 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 27 are from Western NSW LHD, 25 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD, eight are from Northern Sydney LHD, three are from Hunter New England LHD, three are from Far West LHD, three are from Central Coast LHD, two are from Southern NSW LHD, one is from Mid North Coast LHD, and 12 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 Cobar, Port Macquarie, Parkes, Coonamble and Bellambi sewage treatment plants in recent days.

The Cobar sewage treatment plant serves around 4,000 people, the Port Macquarie sewage treatment plant serves around 54,000 people, the Parkes sewage treatment plant serves about 11,600 people, the Coonamble sewage treatment plant serves about 2,700 people and the Bellambi sewage treatment plant serves about 82,000 people.

These detections are of particular concern and 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.