Highest daily COVID-19 increase, 172 in NSW, 110 total in Blacktown

There are six active cases of COVID-19 currently recorded in the Hawkesbury LGA. This has remained stable since last week.

However, cases continue to rise in the Blacktown LGA, where there are now 110 cases, with 37 of these from an unknown source.

COVID cases in Penrith have risen since last week, with 15 active cases in that LGA, including four from an unknown source of infection.

In The Hills Shire, there are 17 cases, with four from an unknown source. There are two cases in the Blue Mountains.

In NSW, 60 of the 172 cases recorded to 8pm last night were infectious while out in the community.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: "Time and time again cases are popping up in workers and critical places of employment, but also households."

She reminded the community to shop with purpose and get in and out as quickly as possible.

"Please come forward and get the vaccine. Not only are you protecting yourself but those close to you," Ms Berejklian said.

She said in the coming days, there would be an "increased presence" of vaccines available in pharmacies in western and south-western Sydney.

From tomorrow, over-18s would be able to get the AstraZeneca vaccine at pharmacies, and from Friday, NSW Health walk-in hubs would also be offering the vaccine to over-18s.

Find out where you can get the vaccine at the Federal Government's Vaccine Eligibility Checker.

Ms Berejiklian warned that we were now seeing the virus becoming more prevalent in western than south-western Sydney.

She urged people to come forward for vaccination as mass vaccination would be our "recipe for freedom" from lockdown.

Dr Jeremy McAnulty, Director, Health Protection, NSW Health, said two people died from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, a woman in her 80s in Pendle Hill and a woman in her 80s in Campbelltown Hospital.

He said there were 171 people in hospital with COVID-19 in NSW, including 46 in intensive care and 19 on ventilators.

Six cases across three associated households in Blacktown were recorded overnight in a unit block of 50 apartments, and "infection control measures" were in place to lock down the apartment, Dr McAnulty said.

Premier Berejiklian said she would be making an announcement as early as tomorrow about what life would look like for Sydney-siders beyond July 31, when the lockdown was originally tipped to lift.

She said she would also be making announcements "imminently" concerning Year 12 students and their HSC, however she appealed to students to "please don't stress" as marks would be awarded in recognition of all their hard work this year during lockdown.

On the weekend, NSW Health issued an alert for Messina Pizza and Pasta at South Windsor, and advised anyone who was there on certain dates to get tested for the virus and isolate until they receive a negative result.

Anyone who attended on the following dates and times is a "casual contact":

For full details go to: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/case-locations-and-alerts.aspx