New South Wales has recorded 1218 Covid-19 cases and six deaths in its update today. It's the largest number ever recorded by an Australian jurisdiction in a 24-hour period.
A health worker collects a swab sample to test for Covid-19 at a drive through testing site in Sydney earlier this month. Photo: AFP
"To 8pm last night, there were 1218 cases of community transmission, and we extend our deepest condolences to six families of loved ones who died of Covid," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said at a press conference in Sydney.
Gladys Berejiklian Photo: AFP
"Three people in their 80s, three people in their 70s, four of them were unvaccinated and two of them had only had one dose of the vaccine.
"So again, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of those six individuals."
Of the current cases, 813 are in hospital, with 126 people in intensive care, 54 of whom require ventilation.
The state carried out more than 106,000 tests and administered almost 50,000 vaccinations yesterday.
Berejiklian said while the case numbers were concerning they were not the most important figure.
"The most relevant number is how many people are vaccinated and how many are we keeping out of hospital and intensive care and that is important for us."
The premier said 65 percent of the adult population in the state has had at least one dose while 35 percent are fully vaccinated.
"So we are halfway to that magic 70 percent number across the state in order to have those extra freedoms," she said.
Yesterday NSW recorded 1035 cases and two deaths.
Victoria lockdown to be extended
Victoria has recorded 92 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19, as authorities are confronted with a possible new cluster emerging in inner Melbourne.
It is the highest daily tally recorded in the state so far in 2021, and the largest number of cases recorded in a single day since 110 on 2 September, 2020.
Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed Victoria's sixth lockdown will be extended past Thursday, but told a media briefing it is too early to say which settings will be in place and how long the restrictions will last.
He said there are far too many cases today to be able to consider opening up later on this week.
"Obviously with almost 100 cases today, where many of them remain mysteries, many of them were out in the community during their infectious period, it is not going to be possible for us to open up our Victorian community in just a couple of days' time," he says.
Of the new infections, 61 are linked to known outbreaks.
It is unclear how many of the new cases were in the community while infectious, with the Department of Health saying more information would be provided later today.
The new cases were found from 51,030 test results processed on Saturday, while 31,436 vaccines were delivered in state-run centres.
Yesterday, health authorities said they were starting to get control of the large outbreak in Shepparton, in the state's north.
But a new area of concern is the suburb of Port Melbourne, where four new unlinked cases were found on Friday.
"We've not seen that crop up before so we're very keen to make sure that doesn't become anything else," Covid-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar said.
Melbourne is in the fourth week of a lockdown initially called for seven days. Photo: AFP
One new case in Queensland
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced a new mass vaccination hub will be opened in Brisbane, as the state recorded one new community case of Covid-19.
The person was in home quarantine and is connected to the Delta cluster that spread through Brisbane schools.
"It's the last person of a particular family, so we have absolutely no concerns about that," Palaszczuk said.
The premier announced that the state would be opening another "big" vaccination hub, at Boondall in Brisbane's north, on 8 September.
The new centre will open with 1500 booking slots a day and ramp up to 3000 per day.
The premier said 44 percent of eligible Queenslanders had received a first dose of the vaccine, and 30 percent had two doses.
Yesterday, 14,843 vaccines were administered and 6000 tests.
NSW expands Pfizer vaccine rollout to Camden
New South Wales is giving priority access to Pfizer vaccines to people in the Camden LGA (a local government administration zone), in Sydney's south-west, in addition to those in the 12 LGAs of concern.
Although Camden is not currently deemed an LGA of concern, it's been included to prevent the infections from spiralling there.
There are now more than 770 patients being treated in hospital in NSW with more than 50 requiring ventilation.
Yesterday NSW announced 1035 new Covid-19 cases, a new high for any Australian state or territory.
- ABC