NSW has recorded 360 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths overnight.
90.4 per cent of the population aged over 16 years has now received a first dose of the vaccine while 74 per cent are double-dosed.
There are currently 766 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 155 people in intensive care, 74 of whom require ventilation.
There were 88,988 tests conducted yesterday.
Of the five deaths today four were men and there was one woman who also lost her life.
One person was in their 40s, one person was in their 50s, and three people were in their 80s.
Three people were from the Nepean Blue Mountains area, one was from western Sydney, and one was from south eastern Sydney.
Three people were not vaccinated and two had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
A man in his 80s who died at Campbelltown Hospital was a resident of the Hawkesbury Living Aged Care Facility in Richmond, where he acquired his infection. He had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and had underlying health conditions.
A woman in her 80s died at the Hawkesbury Living Aged Care Facility in Richmond, where she acquired her infection. She had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and had underlying health conditions. There are now seven deaths linked to an outbreak at this aged care facility.
There have been 444 COVID-19 related deaths in NSW since the outbreak began and 500 in total since the start of the pandemic.
Of the 360 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night:
- 93 are from South Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD),
- 53 are from Western Sydney LHD,
- 47 are from Hunter New England LHD,
- 38 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD,
- 26 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD,
- 26 are from Sydney LHD,
- 22 are from Central Coast LHD,
- 13 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD,
- 10 are from Southern NSW LHD,
- 11 are from Western NSW LHD,
- 8 are from Northern Sydney LHD,
- 4 are from Northern NSW LHD,
- 1 is from Far West LHD,
- 1 is from Mid North Coast LHD,
- 1 is from Murrumbidgee LHD,
- 3 are in a correctional settings, and
- 3 are yet to be assigned to an LHD.
NSW Health administered 21,910 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 11,062,995 with 3,796,650 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 7,266,345 administered by the GP network and other providers.
The case numbers today are the first time the state has seen a drop below 400 cases a day since August 13.
No new cases were acquired overseas, 13 previously reported cases have been excluded following further investigation, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 69,363.
There were 88,988 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day's total of 83,498.
An exemption has been made to the public health order on October 11 for NSW residents who enter the ACT for work or medical care.
Everyone else entering NSW after being in the ACT will need to complete a declaration and follow the stay at home rules.
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Yesterday, the state began the process of re-opening, with its first stage of eased restrictions.
Today, Premier Dominic Perrottet and Treasurer Matt Kean announced a package to support business.
Mr Perrottet said Tuesday's announcement was "all about confidence".
"Last year, as we came through the pandemic, business confidence was key - was crucial - to driving economic growth, to ensuring that businesses continued to employ and bring people on," he said.
Eligible businesses with an annual turnover between $75,000 and $50 million will be able to apply for a grant of up to $20,000 to compensate for loss of perishable stock, or claim $10,000 for reduced capacity to sell non-perishable items if they are impacted by a lockdown.
"As we head into the summer months and Christmas trade ... businesses can go out and invest in their businesses, buy stock to get going and we know there has been concern in relation to lockdown," the premier said.
He insisted any future lockdown would be "a last resort, not a first resort" .
- with Australian Associated Press
Kim Chappell
As Senior Producer - Digital for ACM's regional titles I assist newsrooms in digital best practice. Before this role, I was the digital journalist with ACM's national team and prior to that, the digital specialist with ACM's Agricultural division. I started as a general rounds journalist with The Land in 2006, moving up to hold the title of chief of staff before switching to digital reporting in 2015.
As Senior Producer - Digital for ACM's regional titles I assist newsrooms in digital best practice. Before this role, I was the digital journalist with ACM's national team and prior to that, the digital specialist with ACM's Agricultural division. I started as a general rounds journalist with The Land in 2006, moving up to hold the title of chief of staff before switching to digital reporting in 2015.
