NSW records 265 new cases of Covid-19

NSW has recorded another 265 new cases of locally transmitted Covid-19 and five deaths linked to the virus.

Another case was acquired overseas, meaning 266 infections were reported in total in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday.

Case numbers in regional NSW remain a concern, particularly in the Hunter New England health district where 63 new infections were recorded.

There were another five deaths of people with Covid-19, and out of the 606 people in hospital there were 132 people in intensive care.

Premier Dominic Perrottet hailed the state’s vaccination rates, which sit at 92 per cent first dose and 80.3 per cent fully vaccinated.

However, all five people who died on Sunday were not fully vaccinated, with the youngest of those being a woman in her 30s from the Hunter Region.

NSW Health confirmed the new deaths consisted of four women and one man.

They were a woman in her 30s from the Cessnock area who died at John Hunter Hospital. She was not vaccinated and had underlying health conditions.

A man in his 50s and a woman in her 60s, both from Sydney’s inner west, died at Concord and Royal Prince Alfred hospitals respectively.

The man was not vaccinated and had underlying health conditions, while the woman was also not vaccinated.

A woman in her 70s from southwest Sydney died at Concord Hospital. She had received one dose of a vaccine and had underlying health conditions.

The last death was a woman in her 80s from the Wollongong area who died at Wollongong Hospital.

She had received one jab and had underlying health conditions.

Mr Perrottet praised the state’s high vaccination levels but warned the journey was not over in the battle against the virus.

He confirmed that health advice suggests case numbers will rise as mobility levels increase due to relaxed public health measures as the state moves out of lockdown.

“That will be a challenge for our state. But our health system is very strong,” he said.

“Obviously, we expect hospitalisations to increase as well. But that’s why we need everybody to keep looking after each other. This is not over. There’s a long journey to go.”

Of the new locally acquired cases, 65 were from South Western Sydney LHD, 63 were from Hunter New England LHD, 33 were from Western Sydney LHD, 21 were from Sydney LHD, 18 were from Murrumbidgee LHD and 18 were from South Eastern Sydney LHD.

There were 16 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven, 10 were in the Central Coast LHD, five in Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, five in Southern NSW LHD, four in Northern Sydney LHD, two in Western NSW LHD, one in Northern NSW LHD, one in a correctional setting, and three are yet to be assigned.

The new figures came on what has been dubbed Freedom Day 2.0, when a raft of restrictions were eased in NSW after the state’s eligible population hit 80 per cent fully vaccinated.

Those include the reopening of schools, no caps on weddings and funerals and greater density inside pubs, hairdressers and hospitality venues.

Up to 20 people can now gather at homes and 50 people can meet at parks, while masks are no longer mandatory in offices.