NSW records 291 new COVID cases as woman who caught virus in hospital dies

NSW recorded 291 new COVID-19 infections — its highest daily total of the pandemic — and health authorities conceded hospitals were “stressed” as the state’s Delta crisis deepened today.

Chief health officer Kerry Chant apologised to the family of a woman in her 60s who died yesterday after contracting the virus from an employee at Liverpool Hospital, which is the subject of an outbreak.

There are now 304 COVID-19 patients in NSW’s hospitals, with 50 in intensive care, 22 of whom are on ventilators.

Dr Chant said pressure on hospitals was building.

“The system is a large, vibrant one,” she said.

“Please do not delay if you require care urgently, the system is there to treat and respond to that, but the system is under stress.”

Of the COVID patients in ICU, 44 have not been vaccinated, four have had their first dose of AstraZeneca, and two people have received their first dose of Pfizer.

The woman who died at Liverpool Hospital is NSW’s 79th COVID-19 fatality since the beginning of the pandemic and the 22nd linked to the Delta outbreak.

Dr Chant said it was the second death connected to the Liverpool Hospital outbreak.

“Can I personally extend my sympathies to her loved ones, it must be a very challenging time for them,” she said.

The woman contracted the virus from a health care worker who travelled between wards while infectious.

Of the 291 new cases, 91 were in isolation for their infectious period.

Forty-eight were in isolation for part of their infectious period and another 48 cases were infectious in the community.

NSW Health is investigating the isolation status of 104 of the new infections.

Health authorities confirmed two new cases in the Newcastle area on the first day of the Hunter and Upper Hunter’s lockdown.

It means there are seven confirmed COVID-19 infections in that region. There were no new cases found on the Central Coast.

The Premier has flagged rising cases in the Canterbury-Bankstown local government area, where policing will now be increased.

“We are seeing too many people frequent certain shopping areas and perhaps not doing the right thing, so police will be more present in the Canterbury-Bankstown local area to ensure compliance and we have to make sure that happens,” she said.

The suburbs of Campsie, Bankstown, Lakemba, Punchbowl, Wiley Park, Yagoona, Greenacre, Earlwood, Bass Hill and Chester Hill were identified as hot spots.

Twelve staff at a KFC in Punchbowl have contracted the virus.

Ms Berejiklian said the state’s contact tracing team had been boosted by “several hundred” people, including members of the Australian Defence Force.

“So the resources are there, that is why we ask people to be patient,” she said.

“If we need further resources we will make sure it happens, but there is no doubt that the more cases you have, the more the challenge.”

She also warned case numbers would increase in the coming days.

“I just wanted you to be prepared for that,” she said.

There were 109,547 tests carried out in the 24 hours to 8:00pm yesterday.

ABC NEWS