THURS COVID UPDATE – 345 NEW NSW CASES – 60 INFECTIOUS IN COMMUNITY – HAWKESBURY STILL 2 CASES

COVID cases continue to rise across NSW and sadly there were two deaths last night – none in the Hawkesbury – linked to COVID, both men in their 90s, and one of those men had been fully vaccinated with two doses of Pfizer, the other had received a single dose of Astra Zeneca.

In the Hawkesbury we have a total of 2 known cases. For one of those 2 local cases, the source of infection is not yet known by NSW Health – investigations continue.

Yesterday we reported on the COVID infected health worker at Hawkesbury Living care home – who does not live in the Hawkesbury so is not one of our 2 local COVID infections. Tests were carried out on the home’s residents and staff yesterday and all were negative. They will be tested each day until it’s clear there is no virus in the home but CEO Kimberly Talbot told the Post this morning – Thursday – she “thinks the risk is minimal”.

We’ll report back if any more information comes up there but the home on March Street in Richmond is of course totally locked down for 14 days.

Of the new NSW cases, 128 are linked to a known case or cluster – 101 are household contacts and 27 are close contacts – and the source of infection for 217 cases is under investigation.

One hundred and sixteen cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period and 34 were in isolation for part of their infectious period. Fifty-seven cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of 138 remains under investigation.

The virus front, said Premier Gladys Berejiklian this morning, has moved into Cumberland Local Government Area and from 5pm today three additional LGAs will be locked down tighter – Bayside, Strathfield and Burwood.

The Premier said they were also asking residents of the Inner West and Camden to be on guard. “We are watching those areas very closely,” she said.

The Hunter New England area will also be locked down for another week from tomorrow due to more cases there.

In some good news, areas under watch – Armidale, Tamworth and Northern Rivers – have no cases.

152,000 Covid tests were carried out across NSW yesterday.

There are 374 people in hospital, 62 of those in ICU where 29 are on ventilators. In ICU, three are in their 20s, seven are in their 30s, five in their 40s, 13 in their 50s, 13 in their 60s, 19 in their 70s and two in their 80s.

Of the 62 in ICU, 57 are not vaccinated, the other five have had one dose.

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