Across NSW, more than 95 per cent of people aged 16 and over have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 94.4 per cent have received two doses to Tuesday 8 March 2022.
The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 17,033,708 with 4,934,990 administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 12,098,718 administered by the GP network, pharmacies and other providers to 11.59pm on Tuesday 8 March 2022.
NSW Health encourages everyone who is eligible to receive a vaccination or their booster dose to book into a NSW Health vaccination clinic or another provider without delay through the COVID-19 vaccine clinic finder.
Sadly, NSW Health is today reporting the deaths of four people with COVID-19; two women and two men.
One person was aged in their 60s, one person was in their 70s, and two people were in their 80s.
Of the people who died over the age of 65, one person had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and two people were not vaccinated. Older age is a significant risk factor for serious illness and death for COVID-19, particularly when combined with significant underlying health conditions.
A woman in her 60s had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and had significant underlying health conditions.
One of the people who died with COVID-19 was from northern Sydney, one person was from the Queanbeyan area, one person was from the Riverina and one person was from interstate.
NSW Health expresses its sincere condolences to their loved ones.
This brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 1,966.
There are currently 991 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, including 39 people in intensive care, 14 of whom require ventilation.
There were 16,288 positive test results (cases) notified in the 24 hours to 4pm yesterday – including 9,482 positive rapid antigen tests (RATs) and 6,806 positive PCR tests. The 6,806 positive PCR results were returned from 44,587 PCR tests.
There has now been a total of 457,387 positive RATs recorded since reporting began on 13 January 2022.
Following further investigation, 33 COVID-19 cases detected by PCR tests have been excluded and 853 cases previously reported as RAT-positive have been confirmed as PCR-positive cases, bringing the total number of cases detected by PCR tests in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 964,220.
The latest data indicates that reported cases of COVID-19 have increased in NSW, while hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions for people with COVID-19 have stabilised during the last two weeks after previously declining.
Reported cases of COVID-19 in NSW have increased from 11,338 on 3 March to 16,288 today, a week later. Reported case rates continue to be highest in people aged 10-19 years.
Most cases continue to be identified by rapid antigen test (RAT), particularly in regional areas. The Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) is currently the dominant COVID-19 variant of concern circulating in the NSW community, with both main sub-lineages of the Omicron variant (BA.1 and BA.2) circulating in NSW.
We know how COVID-19 is spread and we know what controls it, so we know how we can act as an individual to protect ourselves and our loved ones, as well as the older and more vulnerable members of our community.
We can take four simple precautions to protect each other. Please:
*to 11:59pm 8 March 2022 **Note: The 12 to 15-year-old second-dose vaccination rate has dropped slightly as unvaccinated children move into the 12 to 15-year-old bracket and 16-year-olds move into the 16+ age bracket. This results in small movements in age cohorts**
*notified from 8pm 8 March to 8pm 9 March 2022.
Video of today’s COVID-19 update.