Live: NSW’s Premier is giving a COVID update

By Bridget Judd

Cases and press conference times

If you can’t see details of your state’s case numbers or press conference time below, don’t worry, it means the information hasn’t arrived yet. We’ll bring it to you as soon as we can.

• Queensland – one new locally acquired case, press conference: 10:45am AEST Watch it here
• Victoria – 334 locally acquired cases, press conference: 11:00am AEST Watch it here
• New South Wales – 1,542 new locally acquired cases, press conference: 11:00am AEST Watch it here
• ACT – 
• South Australia
• Western Australia
• Tasmania – press conference: 12:00pm AEST
• Northern Territory 

We will continue to update this post throughout the day.

NSW: Patient load has doubled for paramedics in just two weeks

As of midnight last night, there were 5,900 COVID or suspect COVID patients transported by NSW Ambulance.

But despite a doubling in patient loads over a two week period, Commissioner Dominic Morgan say they can “clearly see the impact of increased vaccination”.

Victorian cases by the numbers

Victorian Public Transport Minister Ben Caroll has provided more detail of the active cases in the state.

• Total active cases – 2,426
• By age – 0 to 9 – 347 cases
• 10-19 – 386
• 20s – 606
• 30s – 418
• 85 per cent of all active cases are under 50
• 127 people in hospital, an increase of 16. 33 in ICU, 21 on ventilators
• Of hospitalised, 90 per cent were not vaccinated, 10 per cent had one dose
• 39,027 vaccinations in state-run centres, third successive record day

NSW: Border reprieve ‘good news’ for those in Tweed community

Deputy Premier John Barilaro is touching on the easing border restrictions we heard about a short time ago.

From 1:00am on Monday, students and essential workers will be able to travel from the 12 New South Wales LGAs, where restrictions have eased, into Queensland.

Mr Barilaro says it will “make a difference for those communities who have done it hard”.

“We know how seamless and invisible that border is but unfortunately communities do get impacted at times when borders are closed,” he said.

“Good news today for the people in the north of the state and especially for New South Wales, for the Tweed community in the Northern Rivers community, and fingers crossed we can keep the new arrangements in place to support those communities.”

NSW: Virus fragments detected in Tamworth

The state’s sewage surveillance program has detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at:

• Tamworth and Lightning Ridge sewage treatment plants in western NSW
• Glen Innes sewage treatment plant in the New England region
• Culburra Beach and Moruya sewage treatment plants in southern NSW

No recent cases have been detected in this location, so everyone is urged to monitor for the onset of symptoms, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

VIC: Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll is speaking in Melbourne

He confirms the 334 cases in Victoria, 149 cases linked to known outbreaks.

He says there is a man in his 70s who died overnight.

“Our thoughts go out to that gentleman’s family, friends and everyone that were touched by his life,” he said.

“This is tragic news and we need to be vigilant going forward.”

NSW: Man in his 30s among nine COVID-19 deaths

As we mentioned a short time ago, there were nine deaths recorded during the reporting period.

They include:

• A man in his 60s from western Sydney died at home.
• A man in his 70s from south-eastern Sydney died at Prince of Wales Hospital.
• A woman in her 40s from south-western Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital.
• A man in his 70s from Sydney’s southern suburbs died at home.
• A woman in her 50s from the Central Coast died at Gosford Hospital.
• A man in his 60s from western Sydney died at Royal North Shore Hospital.
• Awoman in her 80s from western Sydney died at Ryde Hospital.
• A man in his 30s from Nepean Blue Mountains died at Nepean Hospital.
• A man in his 50s from south-western Sydney died in Liverpool Hospital

NSW: Daily press conferences to stop from Monday

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the state’s daily 11:00am COVID-19 press conferences will cease from Monday.

Instead, NSW Health staff will deliver video updates and politicians will “intermittently hold press conferences as required”.

NSW: Those fully vaccinated will be allowed to ‘go out for a picnic’

From Monday 13 September, people across NSW who have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine will be allowed more freedoms.

For those who live outside the LGAs of concern, up to 5 fully vaccinated adults can engage in outdoor recreation in a person’s LGA or within 5km of home. Children under 12 will not be counted in this total.

For those who live in the LGAs of concern, a household with all adults vaccinated will be able to engage in outdoor recreation (including picnics) for up to 2 hours within the existing rules (outside of curfew hours and within 5km of home). This is in addition to the ability to engage in outdoor exercise.

People who live alone can gather with one other adult to participate in outdoor recreation within the same existing rules.

NSW records 1,542 new cases and nine deaths

NSW recorded 1,542 locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8:00pm yesterday.

It’s a new daily record for an Australian jurisdiction.

There were nine COVID-19 deaths in the reporting period.

How to watch the Victoria press conference

Qld: Positive case is a 13-year-old girl who attended school

Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young says she attended school “in the last few days”.

She says the principal of St Thomas More in Sunnybank has asked all children be taken home and enter quarantine for 14 days.

Qld: What’s happening with the truck driver?

Health authorities are continuing to trace the movements of a truck driver from New South Wales who was infectious in the community on Sunday and Monday.

Exposure sites include a BP service station at Archerfield, and Westfield Garden City Town Square.

You can find the list here.

How to watch the NSW press conference

Border reprieve for students and essential workers on Qld-NSW border

The Queensland Government has reinstated the border bubble with New South Wales.

Students and essential workers will be able to travel from the 12 New South Wales LGAs, where restrictions have eased, into Queensland.

It’ll come into effect from 1:00am on Monday.

Queensland records one new locally-acquired case

The Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the source of that case is under investigation.

The new case involves a student, and as a precaution the school involved — St Thomas Moore in Sunnybank — has been closed for today.

There was one new case in hotel quarantine.

‘If you have ANY symptoms, get tested’

Watch the Queensland press conference

UPDATE: We’ll hear from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at 10:45am AEST. The press conference has been delayed by 15 minutes.

Regional Victoria shakes off restrictions, but how many businesses will actually reopen?

Regional Victoria is emerging from its latest lockdown amid fresh fears the restrictions will make it too hard for businesses to reopen.

It’s the seventh time regional Victorians have exited lockdown, however, the restrictions that remain are among the toughest faced. 

While the five reasons to leave home and the 5-kilometre bubble are no more, the businesses that can reopen can only do so to limited numbers. 

Pubs, restaurants and cafes are allowed no more than 10 indoor diners and 20 outdoor visitors at a time, while density limits are in place in other venues. 

Read the full story.

Sydney tree loppers arrested for allegedly ignoring police orders to leave Hunter region

New South Wales Police say a group of tree loppers from COVID-19 hotspots in Sydney has been door-knocking in the Hunter region for a second time, just one week since they were fined a total of $33,000.

Last Thursday police issued infringement notices to seven men aged between 25 and 61 after it was revealed they had been working in the Hunter on weekdays and returning to Greater Sydney on weekends, including to LGAs of concern.

Police alleged one of the men had provided inaccurate information to obtain a Service NSW permit to leave Greater Sydney, another man did not have a permit at all, and other employees had not had COVID-19 tests.

The men were directed to return to Greater Sydney, but it is alleged four of them ignored that order and returned to the Hunter this week.

On Thursday afternoon, police said they were tipped off about a group of arborists door-knocking homes in the Lake Macquarie suburb of Cardiff.

Police said they arrested four men who were issued with court attendance notices for failing to comply with directions and providing false information to Service NSW.