19 March 2022

Across NSW, more than 95 per cent of people aged 16 and over have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 94.5 per cent have received two doses to Thursday 17 March 2022.

  • Of children aged 12 to 15, 83.6 per cent have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 79.2 per cent have received two doses.
  • Of children aged 5 to 11, 48.7 per cent have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Of people aged 16 plus, 58 per cent have now received a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This represents 62 per cent of the eligible population that received their second dose more than three months ago.

The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 17,244,463 with 4,971,301 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 12,273,162 administered by the GP network, pharmacies and other providers to 11.59pm on Thursday 17 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 twelve people with COVID-19, seven men and five women.

Two people were aged in their 50s, three people were aged in their 70s, four people were aged in their 80s and three people were aged in their 90s.

Of the ten people who died over the age of 65, three people had received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, three people had received two doses and four 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.

The two men in their 50s who died were both unvaccinated and had significant underlying health conditions.

Three people were from south western Sydney, one person was from south eastern Sydney, one person was from northern Sydney, one person was from Sydney's Inner West, two people were from the Northern Rivers, one person was from the Cessnock area, one person was from the Maitland area, one person was from Wollongong area, and one person was from the Southern Tablelands.

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 2,019.

There are currently 1,090 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, including 29 people in intensive care, 13 of whom require ventilation.

There were 19,060 positive test results notified in the 24 hours to 4pm yesterday – including 11,429 positive rapid antigen tests (RATs) and 7,631 positive PCR tests. The 7,631 positive PCR results were returned from a total of 47,616 PCR tests.

There has now been a total of 545,935 positive RATs recorded since reporting began on 13 January 2022.

Following further investigation, 38 COVID-19 cases detected by PCR tests have been excluded and 820 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 1,024,467.

Cases confirmed by PCR test and registered as RAT positive in the 24 hours to 4pm 18 March 2022, by Local Health District:

Local health districtPositive PCR testsPositive RATsTotal cases
Western Sydney1,2581,4892,747
Northern Sydney1,0191,6462,665
South Eastern Sydney1,0491,4122,461
South Western Sydney 9471,2172,164
Hunter New England6611,2951,956
Sydney8269291,755
Illawarra Shoalhaven4905851,075
Nepean Blue Mountains360583943
Central Coast263526789
Murrumbidgee126517643
Western NSW215371586
Southern NSW180239419
Mid North Coast38315353
Northern NSW58218276
Far West336194
Correctional settings707
Under Investigation10126127
Total 7,631 11,429 19,060

COVID-19 vaccination update

NSW COVID-19 vaccination rate Total* (ages 16 and over) Total* (ages 12 – 15) Total* (ages 5 -11)
All providers – first doses>95%83.6%48.7%
All providers – second doses94.5%79.2%

13.7%

All providers – third doses (ages 16 and over)58.0%n/a

n/a

*to 11:59pm 17 March 2022

COVID-19 vaccination doses administered by NSW Health Doses past 24 hours* All doses
NSW Health – first doses152
2,309,956
NSW Health – second doses2,759
1,975,956
NSW Health – third doses1,750
685,389
Total4,661
4,971,301

*notified from 8pm 17 March to 8pm 18 March 2022.