New South Wales has recorded 1029 new Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, the highest daily number in any state or territory since the start of the pandemic.
Another three people have died from the virus - the youngest, a man in his 30s.
Health workers taking swab samples from residents at a Covid-19 drive-through testing clinic in Sydney. Photo: AFP or/ Saeed Khan
People in NSW who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will be given more freedoms from 12:01am on Monday, 13 September:
- For those who live outside the local government areas of concern, outdoor gatherings of up to five people including children (all adults must be vaccinated) will be allowed in a person's LGA or within 5km from home
- For those who live in the LGAs of concern, households with all adults vaccinated will be able to gather outdoors for recreation (including picnics) within the existing rules (for one hour only, outside curfew hours and within 5km of home). This is in addition to the one hour allowed for exercise
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said those freedoms had been introduced to to help with people's mental health.
"[We] know people coming together is what people miss the most," she said.
"From the various options we looked at, that was the option that met the mental health needs and wellbeing of our community, but also provided the lowest-risk setting."
NSW's regional lockdown has been extended until midnight on 10 September as the virus continues to spread, particularly in the Western Local Health District (LHD), where there were 35 cases including 25 in Dubbo.
There were six in the state's far west, including five in Wilcania.
There were no new cases in the Hunter New England LHD and two each in Wollongong and the Central Coast.
The regional lockdown had been due to end this weekend.
There were 136,000 vaccinations administered in the 24 hours to 8pm, bringing the total number of jabs to 6.2 million.
Berejiklian said if vaccination rates continued, the state was on track to reach 80 percent by the first two weeks of October.
Each of the three men who died were unvaccinated and died at home after being cared for in the community by the Western Sydney local health area.
Chief health officer Kerry Chant said the men's deaths were being investigated by the health service.
"If you've got any change in your breathing, difficulty breathing, dizziness, or your condition is deteriorating, do not hesitate - although our system is clearly under stress - the best thing you can do is present early for care," Dr Chant said.
- ABC