NSW will hit a vaccination milestone today but the COVID case graph went north again as the state recorded 1259 new cases and 12 deaths in the 24-hour reporting period.
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All the deaths occurred in Sydney hospitals.
Hospitals across the state have 1,241 COVID-19 cases with 234 people in intensive care, 108 needing ventilators.
The breakdown of the 1,259 locally acquired cases is:
- 366 are from South Western Sydney Local Health District
- 310 are from Western Sydney
- 172 are from Sydney
- 156 are from South Eastern Sydney
- 82 are from Nepean Blue Mountains
- 46 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven
- 38 are from Northern Sydney
- 27 are from Hunter New England
- 11 are from Central Coast
- 10 are from Far West LHD
- six are from Western NSW
- seven are from Southern
- two are from Murrumbidgee LHD
- 10 are in correctional settings and 16 cases are yet to be assigned.
The sewage surveillance program has recently detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the Bermagui sewage treatment plant in the NSW South Coast, Glen Innes, Wauchope, Port Macquarie and Trangie.
Dunbogan sewage plant also returned positive results earlier this week.
"In terms of sewage surveillance, we've found it reliable in giving us early warnings ... we have identified a person with who spent time while infectious in Wagga Wagga, Young and Mudgee," Dr Chant said.
Sewage detections: Wauchope and Port Macquarie
NSW Health's ongoing sewage surveillance program has detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the Wauchope and Port Macquarie treatment plants from samples taken on 13 September.
There are no new confirmed COVID-19 cases anywhere in the Mid North Coast Local Health District.
The Wauchope sewage treatment plant serves around 8,000 residents of Wauchope, Crosslands, Beechwood and Timbertown.
Testing sewage can help provide early warning of undetected infections in an area. This is of particular concern in Wauchope where there are no known cases of COVID-19.
The Port Macquarie sewage treatment plant serves around 54,000 residents of Port Macquarie, Sovereign Hills, Thrumster, Sancrox, North Shore and Settlement Point.
Detection of virus fragments in sewage can also be due to shedding of the virus by someone who may have previously had the illness and may no longer be infectious.
It can also be the result of a person with COVID-19 who may have visited the community and has since left the area.
Mid North Coast Local health District is urging everyone to monitor for the onset of symptoms, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.
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.
Venue of concern: Nambucca BP
While there were no COVID-19 cases reported for the Mid North Coast in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday, Mid North Coast Local Health District has been informed of a new venue of concern associated with a confirmed case of COVID-19 who transited through the region.
The case is not a Mid North Coast resident and is no longer in the area.
Anyone who attended the following venue at the times listed is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received. Please continue to monitor for symptoms and immediately isolate and get tested if they develop:
- BP Nambucca Heads, 2 Corkwood Road, Valla - Tuesday 7 September, 6.15pm to 6.35pm
All close contacts have been contacted and informed as part of normal contract tracing processes. They must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.
Anyone else who has been at the venues at the date and time listed is considered a casual contact.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said NSW would hit 80 per cent single dose vaccinations today.
There have been 198 COVID-19 related deaths in NSW since 16 June 2021, and 254 in total since the start of the pandemic.
"An incredible milestone given the journey we've all been on and I can't thank the community enough for responding in such a positive way for our calls to get vaccinated," the Premier said.
She added if vaccination trends continue, the first dose rate will be enough to prevent the hospital system from being "overwhelmed".
Forty seven and a half per cent of the adult population is completely vaccinated.