Gladys Berejiklian says the mirage of zero Covid cases is now dead. Photo / Getty
But despite authorities repeatedly blaming large numbers of people for doing the wrong thing for the rising infections, the deputy chief health officer for NSW today revealed that this is not the case.
Dr Marianne Gale said the "vast majority" of the new cases being found in the state are not people doing the wrong thing.
She said it is merely the fact that the virus is mostly spreading among young people and essential service workers.
"One of the major drivers of the higher case numbers that we're seeing in the areas of southwestern Sydney and Western Sydney is larger households that we're seeing," she said.
"We're seeing younger people and those who are often those authorised workers, those people that provide essential services, who work in aged care, work in disability, who work in healthcare settings, who work in factories, work in shopping centres. And so, transmission is happening between workplaces and households.
"So for the vast majority of people, it's not anybody doing the wrong thing. It's what we are seeing with the Delta variant that is so highly transmissible."
However deputy police commissioner Gary Worboys said there were also 671 penalty infringement notices issued across New South Wales in the last 24 hours.
"Of note, 393 of those were issued to people who were out of the home of residents without a reasonable excuse, which is currently concerning when you think about the messaging you hear every day here and through the media about people staying at home and not leaving home unless it is for essential regions," he said.
He said a group of young men at Smithfield decided to set up a soccer field and started playing.
Another example is a man who travelled from Bondi to southwest Sydney for the fourth time. He was arrested.
Dr Marianne Gale said there has been a total of 61 deaths in this outbreak in New South Wales.
"In hospital, [there are] currently 474 cases. 82 of those cases are in intensive care. 25 cases are currently requiring ventilation," she said. "Of the 82 cases in ICU, 71 are not vaccinated.
"Sadly, New South Wales Health has been notified of the death of one person who had Covid-19, two 8pm last night.
New South Wales has been under some form of Covid restrictions since June. Photo / Getty
"This is a man in his 80s from south-eastern Sydney. He died at St George Hospital. He had received one dose of vaccine. He was also being treated for another serious medical condition.
"As the Premier has extended her sympathies, I would like to extend my sympathies on behalf of New South Wales Health to the family of that man who passed away.
"This brings the number of Covid related deaths in the pandemic to 117, and 61 deaths since June 16."
State premier Gladys Berejiklian says NSW is getting an early taste of what life will be like in the future – saying the mirage of zero Covid cases is now dead.
She said vaccination is now the most important thing to focus on.
"As the Doherty report says, once you get to 80 per cent double dose and you have to open up, everyone will have to learn to live with Delta. In New South Wales, we are learning that earlier than others," she said.
"Having said that, what I am absolutely convinced about is that New South Wales can lead the way and keeping people out of hospital, reducing deaths, and making sure we provide our citizens with the opportunity to live as freely and safely as possible.
"While every single death is a horrendous tragedy, what we need to ensure is that through higher rates of vaccination, if we keep people out of hospital, we keep people out of intensive care, we stop people dying, that means we are starting to live with Covid."
