NSW has reported 145 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and at least 76 of those people were circulating in the community for all or part of their infectious period.
Greater Sydney and surrounding regions are in lockdown until at least July 30, while three local government areas in regional NSW are in lockdown until at least 28 July.
Of the 145 new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday, 51 were in the community for the entirety of their infectious period and 25 were in the community for part of their infectious period.
There are currently 44 COVID-19 patients in NSW in intensive care, and 18 of these people are ventilated.
Monday’s tally came from more than 98,000 tests.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said her government would this week begin to lay out the “road map” for the coming months, including which restrictions will be retained or discarded.
The NSW crisis cabinet met on Monday morning to work out a strategy to deal with the evolving COVID-19 crisis after a week that saw daily infections soar and an illegal violent street protest in Sydney.
Ms Berejiklian earlier deflected reports the lockdown was likely to extend until mid-September, saying nothing had been decided.
She flagged some restrictions would be necessary until the majority of the population was vaccinated.
However, she did confirm there will be a return of “some construction activity on Saturday”.
The fate of three local government areas in regional NSW areas due to exit a lockdown on July 28 is also unclear.
The premier again expressed her distress about the weekend anti-lockdown protest of about 3000 people in Sydney, saying it had the potential to be a super-spreader event.
Eight people have died during the latest outbreak, which erupted in Sydney on June 16.
AAP
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