New South Wales recorded 1599 locally acquired Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday.
Photo: AFP / 2021 Anadolu Agency
There were eight Covid-19 deaths in the reporting period.
All of the Covid-19 patients who died were unvaccinated and had underlying health conditions, including a man in his 30s who died at his home in western Sydney.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said a number of people who became seriously ill were not coming to the attention of NSW Health or even a local GP.
He pleaded with people to seek medical help if they become unwell.
"I think there is a reluctance, in many instances, for people to want to actually tell us that they are actually not well, because they want to go on earning income," he said.
"Please, please, please, do not run the risk of dying."
There are currently 1164 Covid-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 221 people in intensive care, 94 of whom require ventilation.
NSW Health's Jeremy McAnulty said the bulk of new infections were still emerging in Sydney's west and south west, in particular the suburbs of Auburn, Greenacre, Merrylands, Liverpool, Punchbowl, Granville, Bankstown and Guilford.
A unit block in the suburb of Kingswood in Sydney's west has been locked down after four residents tested positive to Covid-19.
The Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District said there was a close-knit group of residents who had been moving between the units.
In response to news that former Prime Minister Tony Abbott was fined yesterday for not wearing a mask in public, Hazzard said the rules were for everyone, with no exceptions.
"It does not matter who you are, whatever station you have in life, there are orders. Nobody likes to have these orders but it is to keep everybody safe and I hope people will comply with the orders."
NSW police said Abbott was fined A$500 for breaching the public health orders at the Manly beach promenade after he was photographed by a bystander.
- ABC
