NSW records 1,220 new local COVID-19 cases and eight more deaths

New South Wales has recorded 1,220 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday from 100,745 tests.

There were eight more deaths reported, including two men in their 90s, a man in his 50s who died at Nepean Hospital, a woman in her 70s who also died at Nepean Hospital and a man in his 70s who died at Liverpool Hospital.

The death of a woman in her 70s from western NSW at Dubbo Hospital was announced on Monday, but included in Tuesday’s figures.

There have been 139 COVID-related deaths in NSW since the start of this outbreak.

More than 74 per cent of the eligible population in the state has now received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with hotspot areas coming forward in even higher numbers.

“Blacktown is over 85% first dose, Camden is over 82%, Parramatta is over 81%, Canterbury-Bankstown is over 76% and Dubbo is over 77%,” Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Tuesday.

“We’re really pleased with those results and we ask people to keep coming forward and, of course, our message is, don’t be left behind.”

“When we open up at 70% double dose, it will be only for those who are vaccinated. There’s time now to get your first dose and fit in your second dose before New South Wales starts opening up.”

NSW Health administered 28,812 COVID-19 vaccines in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of vaccines administered in the state to 7,587,842.

Of Tuesday’s cases, 814 were from western and south western Sydney. In regional NSW, 27 cases were from the Western Local Health District and four from the Far Western Health district.

Seven cases were recorded in the state’s jails.

Pauline Deweerd, Executive Director Aboriginal Health at St Vincent’s Health, spoke directly to Aboriginal communities.

“Family and connections are a huge part of our culture, being with our mothers, our fathers, our grandparents, sister and brothers, and extended families, is important to us, and our identity and belonging,” she said.

“I know what is being asked of us to do is sometimes hard. I also know we want to come together and have the freedoms of what we have always enjoyed in coming together with mob.”

“But right now, our mob need to survive this pandemic. Staying home and getting vaccinated is the way that we’ll get through this.”

Health authorities say 1,151 people with COVID-19 are in hospital with 192 in intensive care, 75 of whom require ventilation.

Source: sbs.com.au