The Delta outbreak in NSW reached a grim milestone on August 26, as 1029 new cases were diagnosed within 24 hours. It’s the first time that more than a thousand cases have been recorded in Australia within a day. The premier Gladys Berejiklian also announced that the lockdown in regional NSW, which was due to expire later this week, will now be extended until September 10. This is due to the increasing numbers of new cases in the west of the state, particularly within First Nations communities in and around Dubbo.
Some 80 per cent of active cases have been diagnosed within the 12 hotspot LGAs in Greater Sydney, the premier said. There are currently more than 12,000 active cases in NSW. The premier did offer some words of hope, however, saying that businesses should begin preparing to reopen once 70 per cent of adults in the state have been fully vaccinated. This key target should be reached by mid-to-late October if current vaccination rates can be sustained.
The premier acknowledged that reaching such high levels of vaccination has proven difficult in many jurisdictions around the world. However, the state's chief medical officer Kerry Chant said that she believed NSW could become the most vaccinated place in the world, adding that she had faith in the people of this state and that vaccination uptake in NSW at present was one of the world's most prolific.