NSW recorded 50 new coronavirus cases as more infectious in the community

NSW has recorded 50 new cases of covid in the 24-hour period until 8pm last night With more than half of the new COVID cases in NSW having been infectious in the community.

26 were infectious in the community prior to their diagnosis, 11 were in the community for part of the time they were infectious and 13 were in isolation.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the number of cases infectious in the community was concerning.

“When you know that there are 26 cases infectious in the community, the only conclusion we can draw is that things are going to get worse before they get better,” she said.

“I think it is pretty clear that unless we reduce that level of people in the community that are infectious, we won’t be able to turn things around as quickly as we can or as quickly as we should.”

NSW recorded 44 cases on Friday, prompting Premier Gladys Berejiklian to introduce tighter restrictions around shopping, exercise and leaving the home.

It comes as NSW’s chief medical officer Dr Kerry Chant confirmed on Friday a teenager is among the 16 people currently in ICU with coronavirus, five of whom are on ventilators. 

Dr Chant said of those hospitalised 79 per cent are unvaccinated.

“Five have both doses of the Pfizer, but they were the Summit Care residents whose have been admitted for observation and monitoring”

 “So in summary, no-one who has received two doses is in hospital, and that’s a key message with this Delta variant,” Dr Chant said.

“We do need to have two doses of the vaccine, and two doses of either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine is incredibly effective at preventing hospitalisation and death, with is an incredibly positive contribution.

There were now 14,000 close contacts across the state, doubling from the 7000 close contacts listed on Thursday.