Breaking News Live: NSW and Victoria Lockdown Updates and Covid Case Numbers

NSW reported 1,599 local cases of Covid-19 and, sadly, eight deaths in the hours leading up to 8 p.m. last night.

Victoria has reported 450 new cases of community transmission, of which only 75 are linked to known outbreaks. Queensland has reported five new cases, all members of the family of a 13-year-old Brisbane student.

This comes as large parts of the regional and rural lockdown of New South Wales, with a long list of freedoms now offered to people in areas who have not seen a new case of Covid-19 for 14 days.

Follow below for today’s major updates. Just make sure to keep refreshing the page for the latest news.

NSW registers 1,599 new cases

NSW reported 1,599 local cases of Covid-19 and, sadly, eight deaths in the hours leading up to 8 p.m. last night.

Of those deaths, six were men and two were women, none of whom were vaccinated and all had underlying health problems.

One of them was a man in his sixties from West Sydney who died at Camden Hospital, a man in his thirties from West Sydney who died at home, a man in his 40s who tested positive after his death, a man in his 60s from Western Sydney who died at the Royal North Shore Hospital, an 80-year-old woman from the southern suburbs of Sydney died in hospital, 80-year-old woman from southwest Sydney died at Campbelltown hospital, 70-year-old man died at Liverpool hospital and man in his 50s from western Sydney died at the Royal Northern Shore Hospital.

There are now 1,164 people with Covid-19 being treated in hospital across NSW, 221 of whom are in intensive care and 94 of those in need of ventilation.

Of the 1,599 cases, 16 were located in the local health district of West New South Wales and 13 in the far west of the state, including 10 in Broken Hill and three in Wilcannia.

There were 114,576 vaccines administered yesterday by NSW Health.

Victoria registers 450 new cases

Victoria has reported 450 new local cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours.

Of these, only 75 are linked to known cases and outbreaks.

This brings the state’s total number of active cases to 2,793.

PM urges Queenslanders to be ‘vigilant’ this weekend

Annastacia Palaszczuk urged the people of Brisbane and all people in Queensland to be on guard this weekend.

“We need people to be very vigilant this weekend… Queensland is the time when we need everyone to step up,” the Prime Minister told reporters.

“If you walk into a mall, you have to wear your mask. If you go to cafes and restaurants, you need to check in. Everyone, please do the right thing.

“It’s absolutely important that we see tests, so if anyone has symptoms, like this young girl who presented to her mother with a headache, please go and get tested, it’s absolutely essential. The next 24 to 48 hours will be a very close watch for this situation. “

Ms Palaszczuk also called on residents to get vaccinated, saying there is “a sense of urgency here because we are seeing these clusters appear and we need to make sure we are protected as much as possible.”

Asked what people can do to make sure the state doesn’t lock in, health official Jeanette Young said she wanted to see “lots and lots of tests.”

“I really and really want people to come out and get tested because the more testing is done the more I can be confident that we don’t have viruses circulating in our community.

“Especially the people who live in that part of Brisbane, south of the river, all the way north to Logan, I really need you to come forward if you have any symptoms and get tested.”

Five new cases in Queensland

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk overnight announced five new local cases in her state.

The five local cases all come from the same family – linked to a 13-year-old high school student in Sunnybank – and authorities believe they know the source of the infection – a visitor who came from NSW to the family’s home but did not. has not yet done. been tested.

In other good news for the Sunshine State, Ms Palaszczuk has said she will not be announcing a lockdown.

“I know that there is a lot of concern within the community, is there [going to be] a lockdown today, ”the Prime Minister said.

“There is no containment today. But in the next 24-48 hours we will be monitoring the situation closely and if we start to see any seeds we may need to take some very quick action. ”

The mayor “disputes” the hotspot label

John Faker has joined a growing number of mayors of Greater Sydney’s so-called LGAs of concern in denouncing the status of their regions, saying he “challenges” Burwood’s classification as a hotspot when data indicates otherwise.

There are currently 58 active cases in Burwood, 49 of which the source of infection is currently unknown.

According to a response from Minister of Health Brad Hazzard to the mayor of Burwood, the LGA is considered “of concern due to the transmission of Covid-19 in the region”.

But Mr Faker said it was a “frustrating response because their own data just doesn’t match that statement.”

“We understand and recognize that our geographic position is a challenge, but we certainly challenge this government’s argument,” he said in a statement. declaration.

“Since we were declared LA of Concern on August 12, our daily and weekly number of Covid cases has consistently been lower than our neighbors who were not subject to these onerous restrictions.

“What is clear from this letter is that the government believes that only higher vaccination rates will see restrictions easing.

“I would like to say that in this regard, the response from our community has been fantastic, as has our respect for the restrictions placed on us.”

South Australia to offer Pfizer to all age groups

South Australia to become first state to offer Pfizer vaccine at all ages – with the jab offered to all residents aged 12 and over from Monday.

Reservations will open from 9 a.m. and 60,000 additional appointments have been added to respond to a strong increase in demand, The advertiser reports.

People aged 60 and over, who were previously only eligible for AstraZeneca, will only be able to access the Pfizer jab at SA Health clinics. Those who have already received a dose of AZ will not be able to receive Pfizer as a second dose.

The decision to open up the vaccine to everyone will be crucial in overcoming vaccine reluctance, especially among vulnerable age groups in the state.

Chief health officer Nicola Spurrier acknowledged the reluctance of the 60 and over age group, reminding those unvaccinated that “soon” SA would consider lifting its restrictions at interstate borders.

“We know there has been some hesitation in the community among people over 60, with just over 40% of those aged 60 to 69 fully vaccinated,” Prof Spurrier told the newspaper.

“However, I would like to personally thank all members of this age group who received AstraZeneca as soon as they could, as it is also a great and very effective vaccine.

“Those who are not vaccinated, especially in this age group, remain vulnerable to Covid-19 and, with many missing, we will soon be looking to lift border restrictions with other jurisdictions. ”

“Concerning” factor in 13 deaths from Covid

Doctors have raised concerns over NSW’s ‘hospital at home’ Covid treatment system, after 13 people have died at home from the virus since August 1, two of which were announced on Friday.

One in 12 of the 162 deaths linked to Covid this outbreak has now occurred at home, with six in the past week.

A specialist who works in the public system, who spoke to The daily telegraph on condition of anonymity, patients can deteriorate quickly with Covid and the ‘home hospital system’ – which relies on doctors calling the patient every day – could not respond to that.

“We have had two deaths in Nepean where the doctor spoke to them in the morning and the patient passed away suddenly that afternoon,” he said.

“This is quite concerning because the home hospital is teleconferencing medicine and to fully understand a patient you have to see them. Many patients do not admit that they are not doing well because they do not want to come to the hospital, because they are afraid. The deaths were therefore quite sudden and in the younger age group. ”

According to NSW Health, the role of the system “is to provide patient-centered care at the hospital level that can be delivered safely and effectively at home to prevent patients from going to hospital.”

But “a lot” of doctors who were asked to participate in the hospital in the home system “refused because they think it’s dangerous,” the specialist said. The daily telegraph.

“Nepean has around 800 patients being cared for in the home hospital and as they deteriorate they are slowly being brought to the hospital,” he said.

“The problem with Covid is that we find patients are sick for about two weeks and then suddenly drop their package. With those who are young and died suddenly, you have to wait for the coroner, but some have had health problems, such as heart problems. ”

Thousands of NSW residents come out of lockdown

Thousands of residents in parts of regional NSW who have not seen a case of Covid-19 for 14 days have emerged from the lockdown.

In what Deputy Prime Minister John Barilaro earlier described as a “bittersweet day” for the state, residents of the North Mid Coast, North Coast, North West, Albury, Riverina and Murrumbidgee and other “parts of regional NSW” were rated “low risk”. “Will no longer have to comply with stay-at-home orders.

Mr Barilaro stressed that for areas coming out of lockdown, “you are not going back to a pre-lockout environment”.

“There will be capacity limits for our hotels, cafes and restaurants, including the four square meter rule, mask wearing, social distancing. There are rules around certain activities that will not start again, ”he said.

“Community sport will not yet be allowed. The opportunity [is] to go back to shopping, go back to work, make time with family and friends. It is still a restricted environment.