NSW recorded 98 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
Of these locally acquired cases, 61 are linked to a known case or cluster – 43 are household contacts and 18 are close contacts – and the source of infection for 37 cases is under investigation.
Fifty-four cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period and 17 cases were in isolation for part of their infectious period. Twenty cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of seven cases remains under investigation.
Two new overseas-acquired cases were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. The total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic is now 6,853.
There have been 1,340 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in the Bondi cluster was reported.
There are currently 82 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 24 people in intensive care, seven of whom require ventilation.
There were 75,845 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 66,671.
NSW Health administered 13,131 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, including 5,164 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.
NSW Health administered a record 135,827 vaccines in the week ending Sunday 18 July, including 46,585 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.
The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 3,064,158, with 1,188,887 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 1,875,271 administered by the GP network and other providers, to 11.59pm on Saturday 17 July.
Of the 98 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night, 67 are from South Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 11 are from Western Sydney LHD, eight are from Sydney LHD, seven are from South Eastern Sydney LHD, two are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, two are from Northern Sydney LHD and one is from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD.
Given the high number of cases in the community, restrictions have been tightened across Greater Sydney to limit transmission of the virus’s highly infectious Delta strain.
Under a Public Health Order effective until 11.59pm on Friday 30 July, every employer across NSW must require a worker to work from home unless it is not reasonably practicable.
Residents of Fairfield, Canterbury Bankstown and Liverpool Local Government Areas (LGAs) are not permitted to leave their LGA unless they are an authorised worker. A list of workers who are authorised to leave their LGA for work if it is not practicable to work from home is available on Authorised workers.
Where Fairfield LGA residents are authorised to leave their LGA for work, they are required to be tested for COVID-19 every three days, even if they do not have symptoms.
Under the new public health order, all retail premises across Greater Sydney, including the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour, must close with the exception of:
Service stations, banks, post offices, laundromats and drycleaners can remain open.
Anyone who leaves their home must carry a mask with them at all times. They must be worn when working outdoors, by all school staff, by all people in outdoor markets, outdoor shopping strips, and in an outdoor queue waiting for products such as coffee and food.
Across Greater Sydney, carpooling must cease unless among members of the same household. People over 16 years of age must carry evidence of their address when in a vehicle with another person and provide it to police upon request.
From today, construction in Greater Sydney must be paused and all non-urgent maintenance work including cleaning services and repair work on residential premises is only allowed if required to ensure the health, safety or security of the place of residence or the people who reside there.
We are asking people not to seek exceptions to the rules, but instead to ensure they comply with them, in order to reduce the number of infectious cases of COVID-19 in the community.
At this time, it is most important to focus on anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms or is a close or casual contact of confirmed cases. These people must immediately get tested as soon as possible. We ask you to please stay in the line when testing clinics are busy and identify yourself to staff and tell them that you have symptoms or if you are a contact of a case.
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.
It remains vital that anyone who has any symptoms or is a close or casual contact of a person with COVID-19, isolates and is tested immediately. When testing clinics are busy, please ensure you stay in line, identify yourself to staff and tell them that you have symptoms or are a contact of a case.
Please check the NSW Government website regularly, and follow the relevant health advice if you have attended a venue of concern or travelled on a public transport route at the same time as a confirmed case of COVID-19. This list is being updated regularly as case investigations proceed.
There are more than 400 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit: COVID-19 testing clinics or contact your GP.
Note: Case counts reported for a particular day may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case review.
*notified from 8pm 17 July 2021 to 8pm 18 July 2021
**from 8pm 12 July 2021 to 8pm 18 July 2021
Video of today’s press conference will be uploaded to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - press conferences and video updates.