NSW has reported 199 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and at least 82 of those people were circulating in the community for all or part of their infectious period.
Greater Sydney and surrounding regions are in lockdown until at least August 28, as health authorities battle to contain an outbreak of the virulent Delta strain.
“Again, workplaces and households are the main places where the virus is transmitting so we urge everybody, if you must leave the house, assume everybody that you’re coming into contact with has the virus,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Tuesday.
The premier urged those who live in communities adjoining eight local government areas under stricter lockdown conditions not to enter those areas.
Ms Berejiklian said she wants the state to get to six million vaccinations by the end of August. Some 3.9 million doses have already been provided.
Meanwhile, a major Sydney hospital and two nursing homes are dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks as health care workers come under stress while the Delta strain of the virus continues to surge.
Thirty-six staff at Westmead Hospital are reportedly in isolation after a vaccinated colleague who worked three shifts last week while infectious tested positive.
There are now 232 COVID-19 patients in Sydney hospitals.
It comes as the number of COVID-19 cases at Wyoming Nursing Home in Summer Hill rose to 18 residents and two staff members.
Another contract staffer at another nursing home, St Hedwig Village at Blacktown, has also reportedly tested positive for the virus but no other cases have been identified so far.
All residents on one floor at the Wyoming Nursing Home have been taken to hospital as a precaution.
The Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour area regions have been in lockdown since late June.
QUEENSLAND RECORDS 16 NEW LOCAL VIRUS CASES
Queensland has recorded 16 new locally-acquired cases of COVID-19 with authorities encouraged that all are linked to existing cases.
The 16 new cases recorded on Tuesday take the total number of cases in the existing west Brisbane outbreak to 47.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young says the 34,718 tests conducted overnight is encouraging for ending a hard lockdown of the state’s southeast on Sunday, but she’s urged people to continue getting tested and to stay home.
“So we do need to continue testing throughout all of those 11 LGAs, and throughout Queensland, it’s really important, so that we can just make sure that we don’t have any other transmission events or any outbreaks happening,” she told reporters.
“So please get tested if any symptoms at all, come forward and get tested, and please don’t move the virus.”
One new case is linked to Indooroopilly High School, four cases are linked to Brisbane Grammar School, two are linked to Brisbane Girls Grammar, three are inked to Ironside State School, five are household or family contacts of existing cases, and one is a neighbour of an existing case.
Dr Young said some of those cases had been infectious in the community for up to five days.
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said nine of the 16 new cases are children.
She said people should avoid coming into contact with their neighbours, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help them if they need it.
“We know we’re in lockdown,” Ms D’Ath said.
“If they need a food parcel of their groceries ...don’t go knock on their door, give them a call if you’ve got their number and say: ’Do you need any groceries or items?’.
“Leave a care package at the front door. That’s how you can help. Please don’t go visit your neighbours right now because, as we’ve heard today, one of the new positive cases is a neighbour.”
Dr Young said there are 7995 people in quarantine in Queensland on Tuesday morning, including 4089 in home quarantine.
VICTORIA RECORDS FOUR NEW LOCAL CASES
Victoria has reported four new local COVID-19 cases as the residents along the state’s northern border prepare for a bubble crackdown.
All cases are linked to Victoria’s current outbreaks and were in isolation for their entire infectious period.
Another infection was detected in a returned traveller in hotel quarantine.
There are 124 active cases in Victoria, down 10 from Sunday.
More than 22,000 test results were received in the 24 hours to Tuesday morning, while about 16,500 vaccine doses were administered at state-run sites during the same period.
It comes as Victoria bans non-essential movement across state lines because of the hovering threat of Sydney’s COVID-19 Delta variant outbreak.
From 11.59pm on Tuesday, border-bubble residents will only be able to state-hop for six reasons including medical care, compassionate purposes, work, education, playing sport or getting vaccinated.
The new measure applies to residents on both sides of the NSW-Victorian border, who must also not travel any further than necessary for that specific purpose.
STATE-BY-STATE BREAKDOWN
NSW - 199 new local cases
VIC - four new local cases
QLD - 16 new local cases
WA - TBA
SA - TBA
NT - TBA
ACT - TBA
TAS - TBA
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Coronavirus Australia: NSW records 199 new local cases of COVID, Queensland records 16 - The West Australian
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