COVID by the numbers Wednesday – no new Hawkesbury cases – boosters: 292,000 Aussies have had them

Welcome to Wednesday evening and our in-depth Hawkesbury numbers and COVID local news.

This round-up of Hawkesbury COVID numbers is compiled by numbers guru Kevin Pollard using NSW Health datasets, and is up to 8pm on Tuesday evening.

Our thanks to Kevin for putting the numbers together and compiling the well researched news snippets in this easily accessible format.

Coupled with our regular news updates when we hear about new COVID venues, this builds into a useful daily source of information for Hawkesbury residents.

Today’s headlines:

* Zero new COVID cases reported in the Hawkesbury in the last 24 hours.

* There are 6 active COVID cases in the Hawkesbury LGA (was 6 yesterday)

* In the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, which includes the Hawkesbury, there were 5 cases yesterday, 7, 6, 6, 9, 1, 5, 4, 3, 3, 6, 3, 14, 15 cases on previous days.

* There are 58 active COVID cases (was 61 yesterday) in the Nepean Blue Mountains LHD.

* There are 2862 active COVID cases (was 2864 yesterday) in NSW.

* Of the 231 new NSW cases (212, 165 & 195 cases on previous days) reported to 8pm, Tuesday, November 16 – five are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD.

* There were 88,104 COVID tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous days of 67,893, 50,453, 57,878, 58,915, 77,119, 77,009, 95,804 tests.

* 0.26% of the 88,104 COVID tests were positive (231). Anything under .30% (positive test rate) is a plus.

* 154 of today’s 231 cases were in Sydney (66.7%). It’s the highest percentage of cases in Sydney compared to the rest of NSW since 19 October 2021 (72.5% – 198 cases in Sydney from 273 in NSW).

* 8 new cases in the NT – one in Katherine, five in Robinson River. One of the cases is a 3-week-old baby. NT recorded 9 new local COVID cases yesterday and 2 new cases the day before. NT had recorded 26 local cases in the 22 month pandemic until four days ago and has now recorded 19 local cases in the last three days.

* 292,000 people aged 16 and over have had at least 3 doses of COVID vaccine in Australia so 1.46% of Australians aged 16 and over have had 3 doses of a COVID vaccine.

* In Israel, you’re not fully vaccinated unless you’ve had 3 shots. 51% of Israel’s total population have had 3 shots.

* The UK’s definition of a fully-vaccinated person will change to account for booster shots, your third shot soon.

* Pfizer will make its antiviral COVID pill, Paxlovid available more cheaply in the world’s least-wealthy countries.

* Ben Groundwater via Traveller.com.au: He says Australians are too scared to travel interstate and abroad due to travel companies’ lack of regulation around cancellation and refund policies, as well as COVID fears.

* In July, consumer organisation CHOICE recommended a raft of changes that governments could introduce, including making it easier to get a refund, making travel credits fairer, lifting standards of consumer service, making it easier to get disputes heard, and having the ACCC conduct a market study into the travel and tourism sector.

* None of those things have happened, and consumer confidence is way, way down – 77% of Australian travellers are concerned about booking a holiday. People want to travel, but they’re scared to make the commitment.

* NZ PM Ardern says from December 15, Aucklanders who have been fully vaccinated, or who have had a negative test 72 hours prior, can leave the city ‘for any reason.’ NZ authorities will fine any unvaccinated citizens who attempt to leave Auckland, with police undertaking random spot checks similar to drink-driving patrols to keep COVID at bay. 67.5% of NZ’s entire population is fully vaccinated.

* Ireland has announced a midnight curfew for pubs, nightclubs and restaurants and signalled a return to home-working amid a surge in COVID cases.

* During the COVID outbreak in Victoria’s aged care homes in 2020, 1993 residents were infected and 655 died (33%). During this year’s COVID outbreak in Victoria, 668 residents have been infected and 66 died (9.8%). Vaccinations work and, now boosters are required.

* Victoria is at 88.5% fully vaccinated for those 16 and over and 73.4% fully vaccinated for those 12 to 15 years of age. Victoria is due to reach 90% fully vaccinated (16+) by November 23.

* Victoria (1248) and NSW (614) have had a combined 1862 COVID deaths during the pandemic, amounting to 97.5% of the 1909 COVID deaths in Australia.

* Victoria (107,245) and NSW (78,994) have had a combined 186,239 COVID cases during the pandemic, accounting for 96.6% of the 192,845 COVID cases in Australia.

* NSW and Victoria account for 57.8% of Australia’s population.

* Victoria recorded 996 new COVID cases yesterday. There have been 374 COVID deaths in Victoria over the last 42 days.

* There have been at least 366 temporary school closures (not all schools report) due to COVID in NSW since the beginning of Term 4 on October 5 (today is the 32nd school day).

Total active COVID cases in the Hawkesbury – and postcodes they are in

* 3 in the 2753 postcode (Richmond, Richmond Lowlands, Londonderry, Grose Vale, Grose Wold, Bowen Mountain, Hobartville, Yarramundi, Agnes Banks) – was 3 yesterday

* 2 in the 2756 postcode (Windsor, Sackville, Wilberforce, Bligh Park, Clarendon, Ebenezer, Mulgrave, Pitt Town, South Windsor, Freemans Reach, McGraths Hill, Upper Colo, Central Colo, Colo Heights, Lower Portland, Glossodia) – was 2 yesterday

1 in the 2758 postcode (Bilpin, East Kurrajong, Kurrajong, Kurrajong Heights, Kurrajong Hills, Mountain Lagoon, Wheeny Creek, Mount Tomah, Berambing, Blaxlands Ridge, Devils Wilderness) – was 1 yesterday

COVID deaths and hospital numbers – no deaths in the last 24 hours

There have been 560 COVID-related deaths in NSW since this Delta outbreak started on June 16.

At least 42 of the 560 have died at home, and of those 24 didn’t know they had COVID at the time of death.

At least 92 of the 560 COVID-related deaths in NSW since June 16 were people who were fully vaccinated.

The 92 deaths among people fully vaccinated were 4 people in their 50s, 5 people in their 60s, 29 people in their 70s, 30 people in their 80s, 23 people in their 90s and 1 person in their 100s.

The large majority of the people that were fully vaccinated and died of COVID had underlying health issues, over half had significant health issues, almost a quarter were in palliative care, many were elderly and in aged care facilities, and some had disabilities.

6.27 million of NSW’s 8.2 million residents are fully vaccinated, 92 of those fully vaccinated have died of the virus.

There are 207 patients with COVID (was 210 yesterday) in hospital, with 33 (32 yesterday) in ICU, 15 (16 yesterday) of whom require ventilation.

There have been 73,118 locally acquired cases reported since June 16, when the first case in this outbreak was reported.

Vaccinated numbers – in NSW, by the end of today, November 17

16 years and over: 91.55% fully vaccinated and 94.29% first dose.

12-15 year olds: 74.6% fully vaccinated and 80.9% first dose.

16-19 year olds: 80.5% fully vaccinated and 90.8% first dose.

All 8.2 million NSW residents (aged 0 and over): 77.2% fully vaccinated and 80.2% first dose.

All 25.9 million Australian residents (aged 0 and over): 70.2% fully vaccinated and 76.5% first dose.

NSW Covid vaccination status (of cases during Delta outbreak from June 16 until November 16)

Based on NSW Health Surveillance Reports to October 16, and cases since.

560 COVID deaths: 64.5% not vaccinated (361 people), 19.1% had received 1 dose (107 people), 16.4% were fully vaccinated (92 people).

1336 in ICU: 81.6% not vaccinated, 10.8% had received 1 dose, 7.6% were fully vaccinated

11,889 hospitalised: 76.5% not vaccinated, 13.1% had received 1 dose, 10.4% were fully vaccinated

73,118 cases: 72.9% not vaccinated, 14.3% had received 1 dose, 12.8% were fully vaccinated.

Big thanks to Kevin Pollard for crunching the numbers.

Our source information – link to NSW Health figures:

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/find-the-facts-about-covid-19

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