On the “most concerning day” of the pandemic in NSW, the Hunter region has recorded 13 new cases of COVID-19.
This brings the total number of cases in the district to 95 since 5 August.
Hunter New England Health said three of the 16 cases originally reported this morning have been excluded following further investigation.
They include two people who have been confirmed as negative for COVID-19 following repeat testing and one confirmed case of COVID-19 who had a residential address outside the District.
Of the 13 new infections, four are associated with the RFBI Hawkins Masonic Retirement Village in Edgeworth. The other nine are family or household contacts and linked to previously reported cases.
Seven are in the Maitland, four are from Lake Macquarie, one is in the Cessnock, and one is from Singleton.
Public Health Physician Dr Craig Dalton confirmed three were infectious while in the community. The remaining cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period or residents of the aged care facility.
It comes after the state detected 466 overnight, with at least 60, but likely more, in the community during their infectious period.
“Today is the most concerning day of the pandemic that we have seen in NSW, I certainly will not be detracting from that strong message,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Saturday.
“This is the largest jump that we have seen overnight and it is fair to say that we are on a par of being extremely concerned about the situation in NSW.”
Sadly, another four deaths occurred overnight.
A man in his 70s from south-western Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital. Another man in his 80s from south-western Sydney died at Concord Hospital.
A woman in her 40s from northern Sydney also died at Concord Hospital and a woman in her 70s from south-western Sydney died at Campbelltown Hospital.
“We send our deepest condolences to the [families] and loved ones, as I say every day we read out the statistics but behind every statistic is a human being with loved ones they’ve left behind and our heart goes out to all of them in these tragic circumstances,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Harsher penalties will also be introduced for anyone who breaks the lockdown rules, including higher fines, an increased police presence, and a permit system to enter regional parts of the state.
Anyone who has even the mildest of symptoms or is a close or casual contact of a person with COVID-19, needs to self-isolate and seek testing immediately.
For more information on exposure sites or testing clinics, go to the NSW Health website.
MORE TO COME.
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