1063 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases in NSW as vaccine rate surges ahead of lockdown end

NSW has recorded 1063 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 and six deaths as the state’s vaccination rate surges, Health Minister Brad Hazzard has revealed.

“I want to start by announcing that our vaccination rates have come along extraordinarily well; first doses are up to 83.6 per cent now and second doses are sitting at 55.5 per cent.

“That is quite a remarkable increase.”

There are now 5.49 million people who have had at least one dose and 3.6 million people who are fully vaccinated. The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 9.2 million.

The surge is expected to help NSW open up earlier than first planned, with the expected ‘freedom day’ now thought to be a week ahead of schedule.

The latest data predicts NSW will hit 70 per cent double doses by October 7, which would see the state open on October 11.

NSW deputy chief health officer Dr Marianne Gale said the number of children and teenagers who have had at least one dose was more than 100,000.

“There is a remarkable vaccination rate of 12-15-year-olds; as you‘ve heard, now 28 per cent of 12-15-year-olds in NSW ... have had their first vaccine dose,” she said.

“That is over 110,000 children who have had that dose. Now, they are on their way to being well protected against COVID-19. I think it reflects the trust they have that this is a safe and effective vaccine.”

Four women and two men died up to 8pm on Wednesday with the virus.

Three were from western Sydney, two were from south western Sydney and one was from Dubbo.

Of those who died, four were not vaccinated. A woman in her 90s received one dose of the vaccine, while a woman in her 50s, who had underlying health conditions, had been fully vaccinated.

“A woman in her 90s from Dubbo died at St Mary’s Villa Aged Care Facility in Dubbo where she acquired her infection,” health officials said in a statement.

“This is the fourth death linked to an outbreak at this facility.”

There are currently 1244 people in hospital with Covid-19, with 233 in intensive care – 112 who are on ventilators.

Of the 1,063 new local cases, 294 were from southwest Sydney, 220 were from western Sydney, 139 were from Sydney, 119 were from southeast Sydney, 65 were from Illawarra/Shoalhaven, 64 were from Nepean/Blue Mountains and 43 were from northern Sydney.