COVID update –165 new and 1143 active Hawkesbury cases – biggest daily uptick in 2756 postcode – 98

Welcome to Friday evening and the daily update of COVID numbers across our region.

New restrictions begin tomorrow – Saturday – and last – at the moment – until January 27 – as Premier Perrottet announces no singing or dancing at entertainment venues – that’s pubs and clubs to you and I – and a raft of other fairly minor changes to try and help stop the further spread of COVID.

Meanwhile, our good friend Kevin Pollard has once again crunched the day’s COVID numbers so we’ve got an excellent overview here of the Hawkesbury situation, and further afield too, giving our readers a detailed picture.

Kevin has also put together information on hospital numbers and news about developments as the Omicron and Delta variants continue to spread.

Today’s Hawkesbury headlines and numbers:

* 165 new Hawkesbury cases recorded in the last 24 hours, with 89 linked, so that’s 76 with no known source.

* There are 1143 active COVID cases in the Hawkesbury.

* Of the 38,625 new NSW COVID cases (34,994, 35,054, 23,131, 20,794 cases on previous days) reported to 8pm, Thursday, January 6 – 1798 are from Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, which includes the Hawkesbury.

 

New Hawkesbury COVID cases in the last 24 hours and postcodes they are in:

* 98 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)

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

* 21 in the 2758 postcode (Bilpin, East Kurrajong, Kurrajong, Kurrajong Heights, Kurrajong Hills, Mountain Lagoon, Wheeny Creek, Mount Tomah, Berambing, Blaxlands Ridge, Devils Wilderness)

* 12 in the 2754 postcode (North Richmond, Tennyson, The Slopes)

* 4 in the 2775 postcode (Lower Macdonald, St Albans)

* 2 in the 2757 postcode (Kurmond)

 

Total active COVID cases in the Hawkesbury as of 8pm January 6 – and postcodes they are in:

* 613 in the 2756 postcode (Windsor, Sackville, Wilberforce, etc) – was 535 yesterday

* 294 in the 2753 postcode (Richmond, Londonderry, Grose Vale, etc) – was 271 yesterday

* 99 in the 2754 postcode (North Richmond, Tennyson, The Slopes) – was 89 yesterday

* 12 in the 2775 postcode (Lower Macdonald, St Albans) – was 8 yesterday

* 11 in the 2757 postcode (Kurmond) – was 9 yesterday

Home and global headlines:

* 2.7 million new COVID cases worldwide today, the biggest one-day increase on record, and 8168 new deaths globally.

* In NSW, 34.26% of the 112,725 NSW COVID tests in the last 24 hours were positive (38,625).

*The positivity rates on previous days were 31.46%, 32.21%, 27.74%, 21.49%, 20.30%.

* Reported cases in NSW over the last 4 weeks have been approximately 85% Omicron and 15% of the far more dangerous Delta. But as there’s a massive number of new cases each day, Delta at approximately 15% of daily cases still equates to a high number of Delta in the community.

* 90% of all 274 people in ICU in Australia have Delta and only 10% Omicron.

* For the 2913 in hospital in Australia with COVID it’s about 75% Delta and 25% Omicron. Most in hospital are aged over 18, with around 9 under 18 in ICU.

* 9 out of 134 people ICU in NSW have the Omicron variant.

* COVID restrictions to return in NSW from tomorrow: singing and dancing in hospitality venues banned until at least January 27, mingling in hospitality venues not advised, category 3 non-urgent elective surgery will be suspended until mid-February, major events will largely proceed unless they’re deemed a ‘high risk’ venue.

Positive Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) results will be counted in daily COVID figures in NSW following VIC and QLD’s lead. Premier Perrottet said only last week he wouldn’t be doing this.

* People will be required to report a positive RAT via their Service NSW app from mid next week.

* If you are mandated to be fully vaccinated to work in NSW, a booster will now also be compulsory. Police, paramedics, health staff etc.

* 3900 NSW Health care workers are currently furloughed due to COVID or close contacts.

* President of the Royal Australian College of GPs, Dr Karen Price: “When the PM urged people three days ago to call their GP to tell them they’re COVID-19 positive, GPs were inundated with tens of thousands of calls. One practice owner said they had 1000 phone calls. In one hour. Please be patient with GPs teams, we are doing our best.”

* Sydney GPs have been forced to reschedule or delay the start of vaccinations for children aged between five and 11 after federal health authorities said there had been “unprecedented demand” for shots.

* GPs expect to face an extremely busy month handling the vaccinations, as well as delivering booster doses to more eligible adults than originally forecast.

Food shortages and business closures are looming amid an escalating supply chain crisis as Covid-19 isolation rules cause widespread staffing issues. Woolworths reported today they are down around 20% distribution staff and 10% shop staff.

* Qld Govt will launch a phone and online hotline by tomorrow morning for people to report their positive RAT test results identified at home to be used in official data. QLD school primary students and teachers can expect a 1-2 week delay to term 1 due to high demand for jabs for 5 to 11 year old children after January 10 and the COVID situation in the state.

* NT lockdown from yesterday until Monday for the unvaccinated.

* Immuno-compromised people in Australia who receive a third dose of a primary COVID-19 vaccine are recommended to get a 4th vaccination 4 months after the 3rd dose.

* Moderna say the efficacy of boosters against COVID will likely decline over time, and people will need a 4th shot by September 2022 to increase their protection.

* 1.3 million people in the UK are suffering from long COVID. 64% of people with self-reported long COVID said their symptoms affected their daily activities, while 20% said it limited their daily activities “a lot”.

* Italy, Belgium, Switzerland and Israel all record pandemic record daily COVID cases.

* US reports 763,878 new COVID cases in one day, setting a world record. 1 in 400 Americans have died of COVID-19.

* India reports more than 117,113 new COVID cases, up 598% in one week.

* Australia records 78,160 cases after 72,398, 64,763, 47,808, 37,215, 35,278, 32,946, 21,151 on previous days. On December 9, 2021 Australia recorded 1651 new cases.

Current NSW COVID cases in hospital, in ICU, and on a ventilator, and their vaxx status:

In hospital: 1738 patients (was 1609, 1491, 1344, 1204, 1066 on previous days) – 69.3% fully or triple vaccinated, 2.5% one dose, 28.2% not vaccinated.

In ICU: 134 patients (131, 119, 105, 95, 83 on previous days) – 51.4% fully or triple vaccinated, 1.2% one dose, 47.4% not vaccinated.

On ventilators: 33 (38, 32, 27, 25, 24 on previous days) – 50.4% fully or triple vaccinated, 1.2% one dose, 48.4% not vaccinated.

There were 166 people in hospital 23 days ago – 1738 today.

There were 21 people in ICU 24 days ago – 134 today.

There were 7 on ventilators 23 days ago – 33 today.

COVID deaths 11 today – none in the Hawkesbury:

NSW Health is reporting the deaths of 11 people with COVID, after 6 deaths yesterday and 8 the day before.

The 11 deaths – 6 men and 5 women aged in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.

7 were fully vaccinated, 1 had received one dose, 3 were not vaccinated.

3 people were from northern NSW, 3 were from south eastern Sydney, 1 was from western Sydney, 1 from south western Sydney, 1 from northern Sydney, 1 from Port Stephens and 1 from the Lake Macquarie area.

The death of a man in his 20s reported yesterday was 23-year-old James Kondilios, a former world-class power lifter and award-winning scientist. He was fully vaccinated and had no underlying health issues. James grew up in Sydney, where he attended Waverley College and later completed an advanced science degree at the ANU in Canberra.

There have been 648 COVID-related deaths in NSW since this Delta/Omicron outbreak started. One person has died of Omicron in NSW (and Australia) – a man in his 80s from Parramatta died on December 26. He was fully vaccinated and had underlying health conditions.

144 of the 648 COVID-related deaths in NSW since 16 June 2021 were those that were fully vaccinated.

504 of those who have died from COVID were either unvaccinated or had received one dose only.

The 144 deaths among people fully vaccinated – 1 in their 20s, 5 people in their 50s, 2 in their 60s, 43 in their 70s, 49 in their 80s, 38 in their 90s and 1 person in their 100s. *Two people in their 80s and three people in their 90s had received their booster shots.

The large majority of the people that were fully vaccinated and who have 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, some had disabilities.

 

NSW COVID vaccination status (of cases during Delta outbreak from June 16 until January 7).

Vaccination status numbers between June 16, 2021 and January 6, 2022 based on NSW Health Surveillance Reports to December 25 and cases since.

648 COVID deaths: Not eligible for vaccination as aged 0-11 years (0), 60.6% not vaccinated (386 people), 17.9% had received 1 dose (114 people), 20.7% were fully vaccinated (132 people), 0.8% were fully vaccinated with 3 doses ie triple vaccinated (5)

1790 in ICU: 1.1% not eligible for vaccination as aged 0-11 years, 64.6% not vaccinated, 4.2% had received 1 dose, 30.1% were fully vaccinated.

9948 hospitalised: 4.8% not eligible for vaccination as aged 0-11 years, 41.8% not vaccinated, 3.8% had received 1 dose, 49.6% were fully vaccinated.

374,670 cases: 21.5% not eligible for vaccination as aged 0-11 years, 11.6% not vaccinated, 4.1% had received 1 dose, 68.2% were fully vaccinated.

Australia previous pandemic peaks: 1,551 in hospital on 28 September 2021 – 312 in ICU on 16 October 2021, 184 of whom were on a ventilator on 16 October 2021.

How we compare Statewide:

NSW – 38,625 new cases, 234,066 active, 1,738 in hospital (+129) and 134 in ICU (+3) plus 11 deaths – 34.26% positive rate

VIC – 21,728 new cases, 69,680 active, 644 in hospital (+13) and 58 in ICU (+7) plus 6 deaths – 31.86% positive rate

QLD – 10,953 new cases – 32,312 active, 327 in hospital (+43) and 14 in ICU (+4) – 30.01% positive rate

SA – 3,707 new cases – 21,215 active, 144 in hospital (+21) and 16 in ICU (+4) – 16.02% positive rate

TAS – 1,489 new cases – 4,681 active, 8 in hospital (+3) and 0 in ICU (0) – 28.59% positive rate

ACT – 1,246 new cases – 4,511 active, 24 in hospital (+4) and 3 in ICU (+1) – 27.13% positive rate

NT – 412 new cases – 1,215 active, 28 in hospital (+5) and 2 in ICU (0) – 13.92% positive rate

WA – 0 new cases – 57 active, 0 in hospital (0) and 0 in ICU (0)

Australia – 78,160 new cases, 392,111 active, 2,913 in hospital, 274 in ICU, 65 on a ventilator

Big thanks to Kevin Pollard for the research and 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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