NSW outbreak worsens with 681 Covid cases

New South Wales record staggering increases in the number of new cases as the States’s Covid crisis continues.

There were 681 recorded overnight the highest number the state has ever recorded in a day, and one new death. The death is a man in his 80s, who had one dose of the vaccine but had underlying health conditions.

One hundred and thirty-five cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period and 28 were in isolation for part of their infectious period. Fifty-nine cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of 459 cases remains under investigation.

There are now almost 4000 unlinked mystery cases in NSW means daily cases are likely to skyrocket above 1000  in the coming weeks. Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant confirmed the numbers will rise, saying that the current virus reproductive rate of 1.3 shows the worst is yet to come.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she can "see light at the end of the tunnel" despite NSW recording high number of  COVID-19 cases as vaccination rates increased, with the state recording a record 110,000 jabs in the last 24 hours.

She said 5.5 million vaccinations had now been administered in NSW, with 53 per cent of the population having their first jab.

As infections show no sign of slowing, the state’s police minister has signalled that officers will be ready to impose a curfew. However authorities have resisted calls from some parts of the community for a curfew similar to the one that has been imposed in Melbourne.

Speaking to Sky News this morning he said he would be “happy” for his officers to impose a curfew in Sydney if he was asked to bring one in by the state’s Police Commissioner.

So far the NSW Premier is resisting calls to change the rules.

“We have the right settings in place. But unfortunately too many people continue to do the wrong thing,” she said yesterday.

“We know the settings we have in place are some of the harshest that Australia has ever seen.

“Unfortunately it only takes a small number of people to do the wrong thing, to cause this amount of spread.”

However, this morning’s comments from the police minister show the state’s police force could be preparing to enforce some additional rules.