Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned anyone planning to attend an anti-lockdown protest in Sydney tomorrow could be giving their loved ones a "death sentence" after NSW recorded 170 new COVID-19 cases.
There were 42 people active in the community while infectious and a further 10 who were active for part of their infectious period.
Of these new cases, 77 were linked to a known case or cluster but 93 remain under investigation.
Ms Berejiklian issued a warning to anyone thinking of attending another anti-lockdown protest following last week's illegal demonstration which thousands attended.
"Your actions will hurt, forget about the rest of us, but you could be taking the disease home and passing it on to your parents, your siblings, your brothers and sisters or anybody you might have limited contact with," she said.
"Do not give those you love the most a death sentence."
Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said he wasn't expecting the same turnout as last Saturday but warned anyone who planned to attend would be met by 1,000 police officers who will be ready to mobilise to any part of Greater Sydney.
"This is such an important time for New South Wales in terms of winning the battle against the virus and coming into town to protest is not the answer," he said.
Chief health officer Kerry Chant issued a grim message about the consequences of people infected with COVID-19 leaving it too late to get medical care.
Dr Chant said she had been "struck by the tragedy" of people with COVID-19 dying because they didn't access health care soon enough.
"We've had a number of people that are presented to hospital severely unwell and sometimes dead," she said.
"There shouldn't be any barriers to people ringing an ambulance and coming to healthcare."
Dr Chant said she wasn't aware of any cases being linked to last weekend's protest yet but said one person who attempted to attend has since tested positive to COVID-19.
"We're just working police to ascertain whether that person did attend. The police did indicate they had turned the person around and they had been given an infringement notice," she said.
ABC News: Tim Swanston
)Commissioner Fuller, who yesterday requested the help of the Australian Defence Force to crack down on non-compliance, said police were now concerned about infected people not staying home.
He said this morning a man who knew he was COVID-19 positive was caught working on a construction site and warned anyone with the virus to expect a knock on the door from police.
"If you are not home, we will take action against you," he said.
The Premier announced from August 9 the Qudos Bank Arena at Sydney Olympic Park would become a vaccination centre for year 12 students who are returning to school on August 16.
Only students from the eight local government areas of concern (Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown, Georges River, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Cumberland, Parramatta and Blacktown) will be eligible for a Pfizer vaccine at the centre, with doses being redirected from regional NSW.
After those approximately 20,000 students have had their first dose the Premier said the centre will open to the general public.
Ms Berejiklian said over 3.6 million jabs have already been administered so the state is a third of the way to the goal of 10 million.
"Come on Greater Sydney, I'm calling on all to come forward and get vaccinated.
"The quicker we get vaccinated, the quicker we can live more freely."
Ms Berejiklian said while there were “considerably less” new cases than yesterday, she expected to see case numbers “bounce around” in coming days.
More than 95,000 tests were conducted yesterday.
There are currently 187 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 58 people in intensive care, 24 of whom require ventilation.
NSW records 170 local COVID-19 cases, 42 infectious while in the community - ABC News
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