DROUGHT: and so it begins.....

 

The green map of New South Wales is changing colour as soil moisture begins to fall.

Thus far drought affected land is confined to the north-east and north-west of the state, with 10.9% of land on the North Coast affected.

 An est. 35 parishes are drought affected in the Clarence Valley, 13 parishes in the Richmond Valley and 3 border parishes in Tweed Shire.

The Dept. of Primary Industry seasonal update considers that "Drought Affected Land" status is intensifying in the Clarence Valley. Currently that status appears to cover an area roughly from just south of Lawrence following the river to land up past Dumbudgery and, from the Yulgilbar district in the north to the Elland district in the south.

NSW Dept. of Primary Industries, Combined Drought Indicator, mapping as of 3 June 2023

COVID-19 State of Play Northern NSW 2022: what a difference three months make

THEN

Excerpt from a Statement from Lynne Weir, Acting Chief Executive Northern NSW Local Health District, 23 September 2021:

In our District, there are currently sufficient Intensive Care beds across our three major hospitals in Grafton, Lismore and Tweed, with plans in place to surge staffing and intensive care capacity, if and when required, our networked hospital system ensures patients can be transferred or redirected to other hospitals where necessary, including private hospitals.

Throughout the early stages of the pandemic, we sourced additional equipment, including ventilators, and we regularly review our stocks and supply chains of resources, including PPE and pharmacy items, to ensure adequate supplies.

From the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Northern NSW Local Health District has been actively increasing its staffing and upskilling its workforce in readiness to care for COVID-19 patients in our region.

Additional training programs were developed for nurses, midwives, and allied health staff, with more than 265 staff attending surge training in Intensive Care, Emergency and Immunisation specialties to provide additional capacity to care for patients.

Lismore Base Hospital is the primary receiving hospital for COVID-19 cases requiring hospitalisation in the District, having recently undergone significant redevelopment to provide a new Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit, as well as other general hospital wards. These refurbishments have also delivered more single room capacity across the facility. Our other major hospitals in the District also have trained staff and the necessary equipment to cater for COVID patients if required as the pandemic evolves.

Between mid-2012 and mid-2021, NNSWLHD increased its workforce by an additional 1,219 FTE staff - an increase of 32.3 per cent including 211 more doctors 461 more nurses and midwives and 141 more allied health staff.

Message received by a registered nurse in NSW on 13 December 2021:

via @vintage_nurse

Northern NSW Local Health District, media release excerpt, 16 October 2021:

Visiting restrictions at hospitals across Northern NSW Local Health District are being eased slightly to allow visitors back into health facilities in a staged approach.

A patient may have one visitor once a day for one hour, between the hours of 1pm and 6pm.

Visitors must be at least 12 years of age, and must have be fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Visitors will need to carry evidence of their vaccination status on entry to the health facility, and must wear a surgical mask while on site.

Acting Chief Executive, Northern NSW Local Health District, Lynne Weir said people should continue to keep up to date with contact tracing alerts, and be vigilant against any symptoms of COVID-19 so they do not attend a health facility if they feel unwell.

“People must not visit if they have any COVID-19 symptoms, are a close contact of a confirmed case (or are within their isolation period), live in a household with a person who is currently isolating, or if they are waiting for a COVID-19 test result,” Ms Weir said.

“People also must not visit if they have been to case locations in NSW, interstate affected areas or New Zealand in the past 14 days.”

NOW

The Guardian, 7 January 2022:

One of New South Wales’ major regional hospitals had to source its own triage tent, is sending Covid tests six hours away due to a lack of space for its own diagnosis machine, and has had positive patients wait 30 hours to be transferred to a designated hospital for those with the virus.

Doctors at the Tweed hospital, which is 1km from the Queensland border in northern NSW and serves a hinterland that includes Byron Bay, are even donning personal protective equipment to drive home, in their own cars, asymptomatic Covid-positive patients because taxis won’t take them.

Kristin Ryan-Agnew, president of the local branch of the Nurses and Midwives Association and a senior nurse at the hospital, said local Covid cases were tripling daily, much faster than the 5o% growth in new cases reported for NSW as a whole on Wednesday.

As a result of increased presentations to Tweed’s emergency department, nurses were doing “double shifts every day” with one day off before resuming the toil. “They’re going to fall over in a screaming heap,” she said. “They will not be able to manage.”

Eighteen staff, many of them senior, have resigned since December out of a roster of about 150, citing burnout and the better conditions offered over the border.

Queensland offers $1,800 a year for nurses’ education, a Covid bonus – both absent in NSW – and higher wages, Ryan-Agnew said.

“They were really top-notch, really good quality staff, and they can walk up to the Gold Coast and they’ll just completely snaffle them.”

As Guardian Australia reported on Wednesday, nurses at Lismore Base hospital – the destination for Tweed’s Covid patients needing treatment – are also struggling to cope with a surge in medical needs.

The Tweed hospital is buckling under spiking demand for care and a lack of trained staff and appropriate equipment. A senior manager, for instance, had to phone around themselves and then purchase the triage tent prior to Christmas after months of pleading to the health department, Ryan-Agnew said.

The tent, though, remains far from adequate, with no toilet, forcing potentially Covid-positive patients – and anyone waiting for PCR testing to cross the border – to traipse through the main hospital lobby.

“You can have people with heart conditions, sick kids, elderly, frail, all sitting there waiting to be seen, and you’ve got a potential Covid patient walking through the waiting room,” Ryan-Agnew said.

Patients with chest and severe abdominal pain, septic children and adults should be in beds not a tent without nursing care, staff said. Earlier this week, one Covid patient had to wait 17 hours before being transferred to Lismore, while another patient had to wait 30 hours before being moved on Wednesday.

The nurse manager shares office space and air-conditioning with two beds set aside for Covid patients with no air-locked space for changing PPE.

“We have bottles of hand sanitiser sitting on top of overflowing bins, flapping Covid tent flaps compromising PPE,” another staff member, who requested anonymity, said.

“We also continue to struggle getting adequate PPE and supplies, certain masks run out, no hair coverings and no disposable blood pressure cuffs.”

The triage tent sourced by a senior manager at Tweed hospital.
Photograph: Supplied

Read the full story here.

The Guardian, 8 January 2022:

Staff at the hospital serving tourist mecca Byron Bay in northern New South Wales say the facility is under “extreme strain”, with Covid-positive patients left in bays behind curtains and one patient waiting 45 hours to be transported to the region’s designated Covid hospital.

As many as 100 people a day are arriving at the Byron Central hospital, stretching staff already depleted by Covid-forced absences. The Byron area had a double-vaccination rate of about 85% as of 20 December, one of the lowest in NSW.

Healthcare workers collecting information from the public at a Covid testing site in Sydney

The hospital’s single isolation room was taken up by one Covid patient for almost two days earlier this week before being transported. “We are constantly being crippled by a lack of transfer options” with ambulances often unavailable because of their own shortages, a senior staffer who requested anonymity said.

“We have a positive pressure room also that is being used as an isolation room and another room which we can close an actual door on,” the hospital worker said. “These are often all taken up, so we have Covid-positive patients in bays behind curtains because we can’t get people to where they need to be in a timely manner.”

As reported this week by Guardian Australia, northern NSW hospitals are under increasing strain at the designated Covid hospital at Lismore and at the bigger Tweed hospital near the border with Queensland.

Byron’s challenges are made worse by the loss of medical staff who have refused the government’s Covid vaccination mandate, and its proximity to communities with relatively large anti-vaccination support.

The region also has a relatively high number of cases per 1,000 people, with another 1,154 Covid cases in northern NSW in the latest 24-hour reporting period.

Northern NSW Local Health District website:

Hospital Visitors: Changes and Restrictions

Visitor restrictions are in place to protect patients, staff and visitors at our hospitals and health facilities.

Visitors are now restricted at all hospitals and health facilities in Northern NSW.

Exemptions will be considered on a case by case basis for compassionate or extenuating circumstances, for example in the case of palliative care.

Women accessing birthing services can continue to nominate one support person (participant in care) during her labour, birth and post-birth.

For outpatient appointments and community services, telehealth appointments are being utilised where possible.

All patients and visitors are required to wear a mask when entering a health facility.

As a precautionary measure ALL visitors will be screened on entry and will be required to check in using the QR code and provide evidence of their COVID-19 vaccination.

You will also be asked:

Do you have any COVID-19 symptoms?

Have you been identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case in the past 14 days?

Have you returned from overseas in the past 14 days?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, you will not be permitted to enter the facility.

COVID-19 State of Play in New South Wales, from 1 August to 31 August 2021 - running sheet

 

DAY 47: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Sunday 1 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 3,634 people - inclusive of 15 deaths. There are currently 232 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 54 people in intensive care, 25 of whom require ventilation.

Note: From Day 46 (31 July 2021) NSW Health began to regularly reduce the total number of previously confirmed COVID-19 cases with the explanation; "previously reported cases have been excluded following further investigation". This affects the daily record of the total cumulative count of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in January 2020.

The latest COVID-19 Weekly Surveillance Report - Week Ending 17 July 2021 (released on 2 August 2021) showed that between 19 June and 17 July 2021, 100% of the 788 locally acquired COVID-19 infections genome sequenced were the Delta variant of concern. For overseas-acquired infection, 48% or 33 out of 69 cases sequenced were COVID-19 variants of concern. Not all of case samples can be sequenced.

According to Mike Honey, as of 1 August 2021 an est. 15.3% of the total New South Wales population are fully vaccinated and 19.1% of the adult population are fully vaccinated. The vaccines in use to date were developed in the pre-variant period.

Australian Dept. of Health data reveals that, in New South Wales on 1 August 2021 the age breakdown of those fully vaccinated were:

• 19.8% of individuals aged 16-49 years;
• 28.16% of individuals aged 50-69 years; and 
• 42.46% of individuals aged 70 years and older. 

[https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines/australias-covid-19-vaccine-rollout#doses-by-age-and-sex]

DAY 48: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Monday 2 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 3,832 people - inclusive of 15 deaths. There are currently 250 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 53 people in intensive care, 20 of whom require ventilation.

DAY 49: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Tuesday 3 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 4,063 people - inclusive of 16 deaths. There are currently 286 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 53 people in intensive care, 23 of whom require ventilation.

A man in his 20s from south-west Sydney died at his home on 3 August 2021. He was a confirmed case of COVID-19 and was isolating at home. His death has been referred to the NSW Coroner. This death does not appear to have been added to the official Delta Variant Outbreak death toll as yet.

DAY 50: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Wednesday 4 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 4,319 people - inclusive of 21 deaths. There are currently 290 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 51 people in intensive care, 24 of whom require ventilation.

Total NSW COVID-19 deaths since 25 January 2020 now stands at 78 deaths.

To protect the people of regional NSW from the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, new restrictions will be introduced for Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Singleton, Dungog, Muswellbrook and Cessnock from 5pm on 5 August 2021 until 12.01am Friday 13 August.

Two schools, in the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie areas of the state. have now been closed in the last 24 hours after three siblings tested positive for COVID-19.

DAY 51: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Thursday 5 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 4,610 people - inclusive of 22 deaths. There are currently 304 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 50 people in intensive care, 22 of whom require ventilation.

DAY 52: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Friday 6 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 4,929 people - inclusive of 27 deaths. There are currently 345 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 56 people in intensive care, 23 of whom require ventilation. 

NSW recorded 319 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on 6 August 2021 - a record daily number.

DAY 53: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Saturday 7 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 5,169 people - inclusive of 28 deaths. There are currently 362 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 58 people in intensive care, 24 of whom require ventilation. 

As of 7 August 2021 est. 33 per cent of all COVID-19 deaths in New South Wales have occurred since 16 June 2021 when the Delta Variant Outbreak began.

An unconfirmed report of a man travelling from a lockdown area on the Gold Coast Qld to the NSW Northern Rivers region, visiting Nimbin, Lismore, Casino, Byron Bay, Ballina and other places over the space of at least five to eight days. He was admitted by ambulance to Byron hospital before being transferred to Lismore Base Hospital.

Note: The man did not in fact cross the border into Queensland.

DAY 54: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Sunday 8 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 5,452 people - inclusive of 29 deaths. There are currently 349 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 67 people in intensive care, 29 of whom require ventilation. 

On  9 August 2021 NSW Health announced that Tamworth local government area in regional NSW would go into COVID-19 lockdown from 5pm that day. As a precaution everybody who is in the following local government areas should immediately isolate and have a COVID-19 test if they have even the mildest of symptoms: Byron Shire, Richmond Valley, Tweed, Lismore, Kyogle and Ballina.

Byron Shire, Richmond Valley, Lismore and Ballina Shire LGAs will lock down from 6:00pm 9 August until 12:01am on August 17. The lockdown affects anyone who has been in these areas on or after July 31.

DAY 55: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Monday 9 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 5,805 people - inclusive of 32 deaths. An additional death occurred in this 24 hour period where the infection was caught while overseas. There are currently 357 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 60 people in intensive care, 28 of whom require ventilation. 

As of 8pm 9 August 2021 NSW Health has recorded only a total of 657,901 state residents are fully vaccinated with either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine. In an estimated state population of  8,172,500 men, women and children, this represents only 8% of those living in New South Wales.

DAY 56: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Tuesday 10 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 6,149 people - inclusive of 34 deaths. There are currently 374 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 62 people in intensive care, 29 of whom require ventilation. 

Uncorrected Hansard, excerpts of 10 August 2021 evidence before the New South Wales Legislative Council Public Accountability Committee of Dr. KERRY CHANT, Chief Health Officer, and Deputy Secretary, Population and Public Health, NSW Health, on former oath.

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE: We are looking for the precise date. The nature in which the advice was provided, we will ask you about a bit later, but we are specifically asking for the date—two dates really—on which your public health team started to prepare for the need to lock down parts of Sydney and on what date you informed the Health Minister of the need to do this?

Dr CHANT: There was a progressive range of restrictions put in place and on the twenty-fifth [June] we briefed—we acted quickly. There were already preparatory orders that had been previous orders that formed the basis of the stay-at-home restrictions. On that day, the Government responded to our initial request for lockdown of the Waverley, Woollahra, Randwick, City of Sydney and then quickly the escalating nature justified locking down the remainder of Greater Sydney. The lockdown did have effect in bringing the disease under control in south-eastern Sydney quite quickly. Unfortunately, it was unknown at the time that there was not containment of the West Hoxton party.

Obviously more investigations will be done, genomic sequencing, and I have to apologise to the Committee that I have not had the opportunity to go back and look at all of that. But there is concern that there was leakage at that point that was not recognised at the time and then that led to establishment in south-western Sydney. The lockdown was less effective in south-western Sydney because of the lower testing rates and the impacted community needed to be engaged with. There were a number of challenges in seeing the same effect that we were seeing in south-eastern Sydney in that area. There has been a range of strategies put in place to work cooperatively with the local communities to see the impact of the lockdown.....

Dr CHANT: Consistently public health has indicated the risk of seeding regionally and we have done a lot of work to prevent that. So there are requirements around testing for people who are going to the regions. We have certainly been doing a lot of messaging and we have been looking at opportunities to provide feedback on elements where the orders can be strengthened or clarified. As the Minister has said, we are actually asking people to not try and look for loopholes in the orders but rather to comply with the intent. We also were aware that our regional communities require critical health workers, other critical infrastructure workers—.....

Dr CHANT: At every step of the way we looked at the exposures, whether there were direct linkages, what were the risks, and made those decisions about the actions that needed to be put in place. Obviously with looking back there was a chain of transmission that was not detected and that was also playing into the mind that we needed to lock down. So all I can say is that we were looking closely at the information available, working with our public health networks and provided advice to government on a range of strategies. As I said, the outbreak was actually brought under control in south-eastern Sydney. It was really around when it got introduced into south-western Sydney that we saw the escalating case numbers. To be fair, it needed a different response in south-western Sydney and there is a lot of focus on supporting communities in south-western Sydney and understanding the disease…..

Dr CHANT: The information was based on the best available evidence at the time. Clearly the disease was not—initially they were very linked cases and then other controls were put in place. Clearly the lockdown was recommended and enacted, and we did have success in bringing the cases down. It was a seeding event into western Sydney that led to those—....

Dr CHANT: —West Hoxton, which was not recognised at the time. It was thought that cluster had actually been identified very early but there were issues around containment of that which were not appreciated. Obviously, with the benefit of hindsight, there are different decisions that can be made, but just be reassured that we were looking very closely at all elements of the response in terms of the recommendations to government about the controls at the time…… [my yellow highlighting]

UPDATE: Sometime after 9 August 2021 NSW Data updated its NSW COVID-19 cases by location and likely source of infection web page to include a 10 August 2021 confirmed locally acquired COVID-19 infection case in Postcode 2464 in the Clarence Valley. This postcode includes Freeburn Island, Yamba, Micalo Island, Wooloweyah,  Angourie and Yuragir.

IMAGE: Data NSW

Note: The highlighted entry in the data table above does not appear to represent the individual's current residential address at the time of diagnosis -  it is likely that the individual while infectious resided in Greater Sydney.

DAY 57: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Wednesday 11 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 6,491 people - inclusive of 36 deaths. There are currently 374 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 62 people in intensive care, 29 of whom require ventilation. 

The number of COVID-19 deaths which have occurred in NSW from the start of the Delta Variant Outbreak 16 June through to 11 August 2021 represent 38.70 per cent of all COVID-19 deaths in the state since the pandemic began in January 2020.

On 11 August 2021 Northern NSW Local Health District released a statement which read in part:

Northern NSW Local Health District has been notified of new venues of concern and updated information for close-contact venues in the region.

Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days since they were there, regardless of the result.

NSW Health sends a text message to people who have checked in at close contact venues with further information. We also make a follow-up call to close contacts to discuss the isolation and testing requirements. If you have not received a text message, please call 1800 943 553.

Site Address Suburb Date Time

Harvest Newrybar Village 18, 22 Old Pacific Hwy Newrybar Sunday

1 August 2021 7:30-7:45am

Foodworks Shop 2/2 Byron St Bangalow Monday

2 August 2021 9:45 – 11:15am

Byron Massage Clinic 6/4 Bay Ln Byron Bay Monday

2 August 2021 10am – 11am removed from list as NSW Health 

added this venue in error

Westpac ATM 73 Jonson St Byron Bay Tuesday

3 August 2021 1:30 – 1:45pm

Success Thai Food 3/31 Lawson St Byron Bay Tuesday

3 August 2021 1:15 – 1:45pm

Woolworths Byron Bay 106 Jonson St Byron Bay Wednesday

4 August 2021 2:30 – 4:00pm

Byron Bay General Store 26 Bangalow Rd Byron Bay Wednesday

4 August 2021 7:45 – 8:15am

Byron Massage Clinic 6/4 Bay Ln Byron Bay Wednesday

4 August 2021 10:45am -12pm removed from list as NSW Health 

added this venue in error

Bangalow Pharmacy 23 Byron Street Bangalow Thursday

5 August 2021 11am – 11:30am

Butcher Baker Cafe 13 Byron St Bangalow Thursday

5 August 2021 11:15 – 11:45am

Sparrow Coffee 1A/32-34 Byron St Bangalow Thursday

5 August 2021 6:45 – 7:15am

Bangalow Pharmacy 23 Byron Street Bangalow Friday

6 August 2021 11- 11:30am

Izakaya Gallery KURA 8/4 Bay Lane Byron Bay Friday

6 August 2021 5:30 – 6pm

Success Thai Foods 3/31 Lawson St Byron Bay Friday

6 August 2021 4:45 – 5:15pm

Harvest Cafe Village 18, 22 Old Pacific Hwy Newrybar Saturday

7 August 2021 9:15 – 10:15am

Woolworths 106 Jonson St Byron Bay Saturday

7 August 2021 12:45 – 1:45pm

ZAZA Kebabs 8/4 Jonson St Byron Bay Saturday

7 August 2021 12 – 12:30pm

Ampol Service Station 76/78 Shirley St Byron Bay Saturday

7 August 2021 11:45 – 12:15pm

OZIGO Carwash Bayshore Dr Byron Bay Saturday

7 August 2021 11:30am -12pm

Japonaise Kitchen 2/25-27 Lawson St Byron Bay Saturday

7 August 2021 4:30 – 5.00pm

If you are directed to get tested for COVID-19 or self-isolate at any time, you must follow the rules whether or not the venue or exposure setting is listed on the NSW Health website.

NSW Health does not disclose details about venues of concern unless there is a public health reason...... [my yellow highlighting]

Update to NSW Health Venues of Concern:

Byron Massage 31 Lawson Street Byron Bay Monday,

2 August 2021 10am – 11am

Byron Massage 31 Lawson Street Byron Bay Wednesday,

4 August 2021 10:45am -12pm

On 11 August NSW Police issued a 53yr old Rose Bay man with Future Court Attendance Notice in Lismore Base Hospital for 7 public health order offences. Granted strict conditional bail to appear at Lismore Local Court on Monday 13 September 2021. https://t.co/e9CCQWUw7o @YaThinkN

— no_filter_Yamba (@no_filter_Yamba) August 12, 2021

Age range of confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW from 2 July to 11 August 2021

Image: Data NSW

DAY 58: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Thursday 12 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 6,874 people - inclusive of 38 deaths. There are currently 391 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 63 people in intensive care, 30 of whom require ventilation. 

DAY 59: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Friday 13 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 7,337 people - inclusive of 43 deaths. There are currently 378 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 64 people in intensive care, 29 of whom require ventilation. 

In the first 13 days of August 2021 in New South Wales, another 3,634 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 infections and, sadly 30 more people have died.

To minimise movement and protect our communities from the evolving COVID situation in Sydney, stay-at-home orders will be introduced for all of Regional NSW from 5pm tonight.

— John Barilaro MP (@JohnBarilaroMP) August 14, 2021

DAY 60: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Saturday 14 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 7,745 people - inclusive of 48 deaths. There are currently 381 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 62 people in intensive care, 24 of whom require ventilation. 

DAY 61: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Sunday 15 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 8,218 people - inclusive of 56 deaths. There are currently 391 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 56 people in intensive care, 28 of whom require ventilation. 

In the 24 hours to 8pm Sunday night NSW Health recorded 478 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19.

As of 15 August 2021 none of the historical NSW COVID-19 cases with home addresses officially listed in the Tweed, Byron, Ballina, Lismore or Richmond local government areas remain active. One COVID-19 case with a home address listed in Clarence Valley local government area remains active, however that person is believed to have contracted the infection in the Sydney region and has remained there ever since according to NSW Health.

DAY 62: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Monday 16 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 8,654 people - inclusive of 57 deaths. There are currently 447 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 69 people in intensive care, 24 of whom require ventilation. 

In the 24 hours to 8pm Monday night NSW Health recorded 478 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19.

DAY 63: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Tuesday 17 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 9,230 people - inclusive of 60 deaths. There are currently 462 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 77 people in intensive care, 25 of whom require ventilation. 

In the 24 hours to 8pm Tuesday night NSW Health recorded 633 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19.

DAY 64: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Wednesday 18 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 9,950 people - inclusive of 61 deaths. There are currently 474 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 82 people in intensive care, 25 of whom require ventilation. 

In the 24 hours to 8pm Wednesday night NSW Health recorded 681 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19.

DAY 65: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Thursday 19 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 10,582 people - inclusive of 65 deaths. There are currently 470 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 80 people in intensive care, 27 of whom require ventilation. 

In the 24 hours to 8pm Wednesday night NSW Health recorded 644 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19.

To date 53.71% of all NSW deaths with a COVVID-19 diagnosis since January 2020 have occurred during the Delta Variant Outbreak.

This is what the 5-day moving average for NSW looks like. Not a good look. pic.twitter.com/RU0hjMLpYP

— Professor Adrian Esterman FACE (@profesterman) August 20, 2021

NSW Health, media release, 20 August 2021:

Permits for travel to regional NSW

A permit system for some travel between Greater Sydney and regional NSW will take effect from 12.01am on Saturday 21 August.

Under the updated public health order, the following people traveling from Greater Sydney to regional NSW require a permit:

• anyone from Greater Sydney (including authorised workers from the LGAs of concern) who needs to travel more than 50km from Greater Sydney for work purposes, noting the existing requirement for such workers to have had a COVID test in the previous seven days

• people travelling to a second home outside Greater Sydney. This is now only allowed if you are using the home for work accommodation or if the home requires urgent maintenance and repairs (if so, only one person may travel there)

• people inspecting a potential new residence, but only if they have a genuine intention to relocate as soon as practicable (no investment properties)

• people who are permanently relocating.

For the purposes of this public health order and permit, Greater Sydney will no longer include Shellharbour and the Central Coast. People travelling to Shellharbour and the Central Coast for the above reasons will require a permit to do so.

Taking a holiday to a second residence is not a reasonable excuse to leave home.

Permit applications will be made available on the Service NSW website.

People are permitted to leave their homes to facilitate custody arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children under the age of 18 who do not live in the same household.

Due to ongoing concerns about community transmission in some regional areas, stay-at-home orders in place for regional NSW have been extended until 12.01am on 28 August 2021, in line with orders for the Greater Sydney area.

Everyone must stay at home unless they have a reasonable excuse to leave. They cannot have any visitors in their home from outside their household......

In response to the evolving Delta outbreak, NSW will extend the current lockdown in Greater Sydney until the end of September, and introduce new rules targeting the local government areas of concern, where the vast majority of new cases are emerging. pic.twitter.com/KoKwl0GCin

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 20, 2021

DAY 66: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Friday 20 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 11,395 people - inclusive of 68 deaths. There are currently 516 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 85 people in intensive care, 29 of whom require ventilation. 

​NSW recorded 825 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

UPDATE: On Friday 20 August 2021 between 5am-5.30an and 8am-8.30am a truck driver took pitstops at the BP Travel Centre at 41 Bruxner Highway, West Ballina. Sometime within the next two days he tested positive for COVID-19.

DAY 67: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Saturday 21 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 12,217 people - inclusive of 71 deaths. There are currently 557 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 94 people in intensive care, 31 of whom require ventilation. 

​NSW recorded 830 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

DAY 68: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Sunday 22 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 13,022 people - inclusive of 74 deaths. There are currently 557 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 94 people in intensive care, 31 of whom require ventilation. 

​NSW recorded 818 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

The total number of COVID-19 vaccines administered in NSW by 22 August 2021 is now 6,019,355 doses. 

Nationally on that date, the number of vaccines administered to people 16 years of age and older was 17,440,596 doses, with 6,240,640 people fully vaccinated in a total national population of est. 25.8 million men, women, and children. 

No national data is available for children under 16 years of age as they are not eligible to receive a vaccine under the National COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout.

DAY 69: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Monday 23 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 13,765 people - inclusive of 74 deaths. There are currently 608 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 107 people in intensive care, 34 of whom require ventilation. 

​NSW recorded 753 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Of the 753 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night:

283 are from Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD); 

233 are from South Western Sydney LHD; 

73 are from Sydney LHD; 

41 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD; 

36 are from Western NSW;

36 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD; 

19 are from Northern Sydney LHD; 

14 are from Far West LHD; 

3 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD;

3 are from Central Coast LHD; 

1 is from Hunter New England LHD; and 

11 cases are yet to be assigned to an LHD.

DAY 70: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Tuesday 24 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 14,673 people - inclusive of 76 deaths. There are currently 645 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 113 people in intensive care, 40 of whom require ventilation. 

​NSW recorded 919 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

The deaths to date so far during the Delta Variant Outbreak represent 57.57% of all NSW deaths with a COVID-19 diagnosis since the pandemic first entered Australia in January 2020.

It was announced on 24 August that a woman in her 30s with a COVID-19 diagnosis from western Sydney died at home. Her death is being investigated by the coroner. She brings the number of people who are known have died at home during the NSW Delta Variant outbreak to three. The other two were a 27 year old man and a woman in her 50s.

DAY 71: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Wednesday 25 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 15,684 people - inclusive of 79 deaths. There are currently 698 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 116 people in intensive care, 44 of whom require ventilation. 

​NSW recorded 1,029 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

NSW Health reported that 3 men in western Sydney died in their homes – a man in his 30s, a man in his 60s, and a man in his 80s. It is now admitted by authorities  that the number of people with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis who have died at home since the Delta Variant Outbreak began has now reached 8 individuals. 

The regional NSW lockdown has been extended to 13 September 2021.

Day 71 (25 August 2021) of the NSW Delta Variant Outbreak was the last day NSW Health's published daily COVID-19 (Coronavirus) statistics included the number of new locally acquired COVID-19 cases who were in isolation throughout their infectious period, were in isolation for part of their infectious period, were infectious in the community, and the number whose isolation status of remained under investigation.

DAY 72: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Thursday 26 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 16,556 people - inclusive of 81 deaths. There are currently 767 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 117 people in intensive care, 47 of whom require ventilation. 

​NSW recorded 882 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

DAY 73: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Friday 27 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 17,582 people - inclusive of 81 deaths. There are currently 778 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 125 people in intensive care, 52 of whom require ventilation. 

​NSW recorded 1,035 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

So far this month in New South Wales 546 people with COVID-19 infections have been assessed by A&E staff as having a level of illness requiring hospitalisation. 

The deaths to date so far during the NSW Delta Variant Outbreak represent 59.71% of all NSW deaths with a COVID-19 diagnosis since the pandemic first entered Australia and the state in January 2020.

According to leaked documents received by The Guardian and published on 28 August 2021, right across New South Wales the gap between the fully vaccinated Indigenous population and the remainder of the state  population ranges from 6.9% to 18.28% fully vaccinated and 11.10% to 33.90% first dose only vaccination.

In four local health district areas – the mid north coast, western NSW, far-west NSW and northern NSW – the vaccination rate for non-Indigenous people is over twice the rate of Indigenous people, despite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders being designated a priority group in the vaccine rollout plan from March 2021 onwards. 

DAY 74: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Saturday 28 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 18,792 people - inclusive of 89 deaths. There are currently 813 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 126 people in intensive care, 54 of whom require ventilation. 

​NSW recorded 1,218 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

DAY 75: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Sunday 29 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 20,061 people - inclusive of 93 deaths. There are currently 840 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 137 people in intensive care, 48 of whom require ventilation. 

​NSW recorded 1,290 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

The deaths to date so far during the NSW Delta Variant Outbreak represent 62.41% of all NSW deaths with a COVID-19 diagnosis since the pandemic first entered Australia and the state in January 2020.

On 16 June 2021 Day One of the NSW Delta Variant Outbreak NSW Health stated there were there were currently 37 confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW hospitals, with none in intensive care.  By Day 75 there were currently 840 confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW hospitals, with 137 in intensive care and, the possibility has been raised that ICU numbers will double within a week.

DAY 76: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Monday 30 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 21,208 people - inclusive of 96 deaths. There are currently 871 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 143 people in intensive care, 58 of whom require ventilation. 

​NSW recorded 1,164 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

DAY 77: NSW Health data showed that, as of 8pm Tuesday 31 August 2021, the number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the 16 June beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW now totals 22,308 people - inclusive of 100 deaths. There are currently 917 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 150 people in intensive care, 66 of whom require ventilation. 

​NSW recorded 1,116 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Of the 1,116 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm on 31 August 2021:

408 are from Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD);

372 are from South Western Sydney LHD;

132 are from Sydney LHD, 68 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD;

52 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD;

29 are from Western NSW LHD;

22 are from Northern Sydney LHD;

8 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD;

6 are from Hunter New England LHD;

3 are from Far West LHD;

2 are from Central Coast LHD,

4 are in a correctional centre; and

10 cases are yet to be assigned to an LHD.

To date since 22 February 2021 the total New South Wales percentage of fully vaccinated persons aged 16yrs to 90 yrs and over is 37.07 per cent. 

For further historical information see: COVID-19 State of Play in New South Wales from 25 -31 July 2021