New South Wales has recorded 38 new-locally acquired Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm (local time) yesterday.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is imploring people to stay at home. Photo: AFP
It's the highest number of new infections the state has recorded in a 24-hour reporting period in 14 months.
The source of 12 of the infections remains under investigation.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said 11 of the new cases had been infectious for a number of days while out in the community.
"Those numbers are too high. We need to get those numbers down," Berejiklian said.
She implored Sydneysiders to stay at home. "Please avoid contact with other households, please avoid visiting family and friends because you are not allowed to."
Chief health officer Kerry Chant said 40 cases were in hospital, including 17 people aged under 55 and 10 under 35 years.
Of those in hospital, 11 were in intensive care, including one aged in their 30s and three being ventilated.
Dr Chant said areas of most concern were in the Fairfield local government area and included Greenacre, Smithfield, West Hoxton Park, Bankstown and Roselands.
Of today's new cases, one is an aged care worker from Summit Care in Baulkham Hills who has received their first dose of Pfizer.
NSW Health said they went into isolation immediately upon discovering they were a close contact and there had been no further exposure to residents at the facility.
There have been 396 locally acquired cases of Covid-19 since June 16.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Gary Worboys said police were patrolling key transport hubs to ensure Sydneysiders did not travel to regional parts of the state.
He also highlighted an incident at a Bunnings store in which a man chastised another man for not wearing a mask, before spitting on him.
Assistant Commissioner Worboys said police were seeking information to help identify that person.
-ABC