NSW Covid update: 1,351 new cases and 12 deaths as Albury and Lismore enter instant lockdown | New South Wales

Stay-at-home orders have been lifted for Bega, Blayney, Bogan, Cabonne, Dungog, Forbes, Muswellbrook, Narrabri, Parkes, Singleton, Snowy Monaro and Upper Hunter Local Government Zones from 1 p.m. Thursday.

“I encourage everyone in these 12 LGAs coming out of lockdown to responsibly and safely enjoy their freedoms against Covid and urge everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible, so you can continue to enjoy the freedoms when NSW hits the 70% Double Dose Target, ”said Barilaro.

“Unfortunately, the stay-at-home orders will apply to all people living in the LGAs of Albury and Lismore based on updated health advice,” he said.

Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Marianne Gale said two seemingly unrelated Covid cases in Albury, along with a number of exhibition sites, prompted the decision to lock down the city border. The Lismore case concerns a person who returned from Sydney and an exhibit at the local school, also prompting rapid action.

Other regions are also invited to be vigilant. NSW Health’s ongoing sewage monitoring program has detected fragments of the virus at sewage treatment plants in Gunnedah, Inverell and Hunter Karuah, as well as Coffs Harbor, Cowra, Young and Narooma.

After the shutdown at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, a case was also identified in Glen Innes, in the northwest of the state. He is still under investigation.

NSW recorded 1,351 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases within 24 hours to 8 p.m. on Wednesday. No new cases were contracted overseas and 17 previously reported cases were excluded following further investigation.

The total number of coronavirus cases in New South Wales since the start of the pandemic is 48,152.

Twelve other people died from Covid-19. There was a range of ages: one in their forties, one in their fifties, four in their sixties, two in their sixties, three in their forties and one in their 90s.

Ten of the 12 were not vaccinated.

NSW continues to move closer to its 70% dual vaccination target, with good levels of people showing up for their second vaccine. In total, 80.1% of the population over 16 has received a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine and 48.5% of the entire community over 16 is fully vaccinated.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard acknowledged there was still a shortage of Pfizer vaccines, especially in the regions, but said there was plenty of AstraZeneca and urged people to take advantage of it. .

There were also concerns about an outbreak in the Redfern Towers, a major public housing complex in central Sydney. Twelve people tested positive for the virus out of the 630 residents.

Gale said there had been a lot of awareness prior to this outbreak and that two-thirds of residents had received at least one dose of the vaccine.

She said 330 Covid tests were carried out yesterday and that there were teams on site offering advice on how to safely self-isolate, including providing masks, cleaning supplies, food and social support.

Residents who cannot safely isolate themselves have been offered the option to relocate, she said.