NSW records 1043 new virus cases and 11 deaths

NSW has recorded 1043 new Covid-19 cases and 11 deaths, the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed.

The new deaths included five women and six men from a range of age groups. One was a man in his 50s from Broken Hill.

The focus of concern is now shifting from Sydney’s west and southwest to the state’s Illawarra region with 103 cases recorded in the area overnight, Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said.

“The Wollongong local government area is the most impacted and the Shellharbour local government area,” Dr Chant said.

“I urge everyone to be cautious. Come forward to be tested and also, please be vaccinated.”

Fragments of Covid-19 were also detected in the sewage at Lightning Ridge in western NSW, Jindabyne in southern NSW, Crookwell in the Southern Tablelands, and South Lismore in northern NSW.

Dr Chant said there had been no recent cases identified in these areas.

Of Friday’s new cases 256 were from southwest Sydney, 211 from western Sydney, 107 from inner Sydney and 123 from the city’s southeast. The rest were from various parts of the state including the far west and Central Coast.

While case numbers remain steady the state’s vaccination rate continues to grow with more than 56 per cent of the eligible population now fully vaccinated.

The figure for first doses has now exceeded 84 per cent.

NSW is expected to reach the 70 per cent double dose target on October 7 with ‘freedom day’ to come the following Monday, according to the Premier.

The 80 per cent double dose milestone should be achieved ten days later.

Though the Premier said she was reluctant to label the day restrictions ease ‘freedom day’ because the reopening plan would be done “cautiously” and “step-by-step”.

“We must remember that even though people may be fully vaccinated, if you are vulnerable and have other conditions you can still succumb and get the disease in a serious way, or worse,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“While we are all looking forward, almost a gallop to the finish line in terms of the double dose, we need to make sure that what we do at 70 and 80 per cent is done cautiously and also moderately.”

She was asked about whether she was confident in opening at 70 per cent or if it would put the vulnerable community, including indigenous Australians and those with disabilities, at risk.

Ms Berejiklian said the federal government was responsible for vaccinating those cohorts and that NSW had “found the gaps” and engaged with communities at a local level.

“NSW was the first state to put up a hand as they want to help,” she said.

Ms Berejiklian said leaders are working through what things will look like when the state reaches those two vaccine milestones, as well as when unvaccinated people can join in on the freedoms.

She and leading doctors are hoping to achieve the 90 per cent double dose milestone but believe the number of people jabbed could plateau around 85 per cent.

“Once you reach 85 per cent there is no doubt that at that point we will be saturated,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“Everyone who wants a vaccine will have taken (up the opportunity). The doctors and I are hoping it be 90 (per cent) plus, so we do encourage people to continue to be vaccinated.

“Once we have 90 per cent plus coverage we can feel confident that NSW will not only be able to live with Covid but live with it in a very safe way.”