The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

This was published 4 years ago

As it happened: NSW records 1288 new local COVID-19 cases, seven deaths as state hits 7 million vaccination target; Victoria records 176 new cases

Broede Carmody, Michaela Whitbourn and Katina Curtis
Updated ,first published

The day in review

By Michaela Whitbourn

Good evening and thank you for reading our live coverage of the day’s events. He’s a summary of today’s key events:

  • NSW recorded 1,288 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and seven more deaths in 24 hours.
  • Two of the seven deaths in NSW were linked to hospital outbreaks. A man in his 70s, who was fully vaccinated but had underlying health conditions, died at Liverpool Hospital after acquiring his infection at that hospital. It is the 12th death linked to that outbreak. A man in his 80s died at Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital after acquiring his infection at the hospital. The outbreak linked to that hospital now numbers three patients and two staff members. He was also fully vaccinated but had underlying conditions.
  • A man in his 80s, who was not vaccinated and had underlying health conditions, died at Campbelltown Hospital, as did a woman in her 70s. A man in his 50s, also unvaccinated and with underlying health conditions, died at Royal North Shore Hospital. A woman in her 80s, also unvaccinated, died at Liverpool Hospital. A man in his 80s died at St George Hospital.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Thursday.Kate Geraghty
  • NSW has become the first state or territory to hit 70 per cent first-dose vaccination across its population aged over 16. “The privileges that will extend at 70 per cent double-dose are only for those who are double vaccinated. So get vaccinated now,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
  • People who live in the 12 local government areas of concern in Sydney’s west and south-west will now be allowed to leave their homes for an unlimited time to exercise, after previously being limited to an hour a day. But the 9pm to 5am curfew in these areas will remain in place.
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley.Simon Schluter

Moriah College to close after COVID-19 case detected

By Daniella White

Moriah College, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, will be closed on Friday after a member of the school community tested positive to COVID-19.

Moriah College will be closed on Friday. Kate Geraghty

In a letter to parents and staff, the independent co-educational K-12 Jewish school said anyone who attended the Queens Park campus on August 31 needed to self-isolate until receiving further advice.

It said the school would close to allow for contact tracing and cleaning.

Earlier today, Reddam House private school, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, has closed its Woollahra campus after a positive COVID-19 case.

Today’s cases in Victoria broken down

By Rachel Eddie

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has clarified today’s case numbers, where they are linked and where they are concentrated.

The details were off in today’s press conference.

Of the 176 cases announced in Victoria today:

  • 55 cases are in the western metropolitan area
  • 63 cases are in the northern metropolitan area
  • 36 cases are in the eastern and southern metropolitan areas
  • Five cases are in inner Melbourne
  • 13 cases are linked to the Shepparton outbreak
  • One case is in greater Geelong
  • Three cases are still under investigation.

Ninety-three cases remain under investigation, while 83 have been linked to other outbreaks and cases.

Advertisement

Four Sydney schools shut after COVID-19 cases reported

By Daniella White

Four more Sydney schools have shut after fresh COVID-19 cases were reported.

NSW Education said Pitt Town Public School, Cambridge Park High School, Merrylands Public School and Hamden Park Public - all located in the city’s west and south-west - would be closed on Friday for contact tracing and cleaning purposes.

Positive COVID-19 cases were reported in each of the school communities.

All staff and students at the schools have been asked to self-isolate and follow all NSW Health directions.

Sydney arborists fined after looking for work in regional NSW

By Daniella White

A group of Sydney arborists has been issued fines worth more than $30,000 for breaching health orders in the Lake Macquarie area.

Police said they received tip-offs that a group of arborists had been canvassing the area, in the state’s Hunter region, for work.

Officers spoke to one of the groups on Thursday, who told police they had been working in the region on weekdays and returning to Sydney on the weekends, including areas of concern.

The 27-year old company owner’s permit to leave Sydney contained untrue and inaccurate information, police said.

Officers said the 25-year-old co-owner of the business did not have a permit to leave Sydney for work purposes and other employees hadn’t had a COVID-19 test before leaving Sydney.

Victorian-NSW border tightens - again

By Rachel Eddie

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has again tightened the state’s border with NSW in a bid to reduce the risk of COVID-19 crossing into the state via permitted workers.

In Thursday night’s daily update, Professor Brett Sutton said the state’s specified worker list would be narrowed and testing obligations for those who continued to qualify would be ramped up.

“With over one thousand cases per day and a trajectory of exponential growth, the risk that NSW poses to Victoria is greater than ever,” Professor Sutton said.

“It’s crucial that our quarantine and testing obligations are adequate for the workers travelling in and out of NSW extreme risk zones.”

Advertisement

Public housing flats added to Melbourne exposure sites

By Rachel Eddie

Low-rise public housing units in Richmond in Melbourne’s inner suburbs have been listed as a tier one exposure site.

Anyone who has been to the building, at 127 Elizabeth Street, at any time between Sunday and Wednesday is considered a close contact and needs to isolate for 14 days.

The person who tested positive has been moved into the state’s quarantine system.

Wraparound services, including COVID-19 testing, have been provided to residents.

Have you contracted COVID-19 during Victoria’s latest outbreak?

By Melissa Cunningham

Have you and your family been infected with the Delta variant of COVID-19 in Victoria’s latest outbreak?

Our reporters at The Age are interested in speaking to you about your experience. Please provide your contact details so that we can get in touch.

School in Sydney’s outer west closes after COVID-19 case

By Daniella White

A school in Sydney’s outer west has been forced to close after a member of the school community tested positive for COVID-19.

NSW Education said Werrington Public School will shut on Friday to allow for contact tracing and cleaning.

Camp Australia onsite after-school care will also be closed.

“The NSW Department of Education will continue to work closely with NSW Health to ensure the health and safety of all students and staff is maintained,” the department said in a statement.

Advertisement

NSW man, Queensland woman in their 50s die after AstraZeneca vaccine

By Michaela Whitbourn

The medical regulator says a 59-year-old woman from Queensland and a 54-year-old man from NSW have died after receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, now known as Vaxzevria.

In a report released today, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said “since last week’s report, a further 9 reports of blood clots and low blood platelets have been assessed as confirmed or probable TTS [thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome] likely to be linked to the first dose of Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca).”

TTS is a “rare event involving serious blood clots with a low blood platelet count” which is “triggered by the immune system’s response to Vaxzevria”, the TGA says.

“Sadly, two people died this week – a 59-year-old woman from Queensland with confirmed TTS and a 54-year-old man from NSW with probable TTS. The TGA extends its sincerest condolences to her family and loved ones. We are in close communication with the Queensland authorities who are undertaking further investigation of this case.

“More than half of the new cases of TTS reported this week were in individuals aged 60 years or over. We are closely monitoring cases of TTS as Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) is now being used more frequently in people aged under 60 years. To date, we have not observed a significant change in the rate of TTS in this age group.”

Advertisement