12.30pm

The NSW government has not yet decided whether to extend its lockdown of regional NSW, but is keeping a close eye on the evolving COVID situation across neighbouring states.

At the daily briefing deputy Premier John Barilaro was asked about comments purported to be made by a Tweed Heads MP about lockdown being extended for six weeks.

Mr Barilaro said no decision had been made about the extension of restrictions.

"But a you can see in the numbers today the Central West isn't getting any better, the Far West isn't getting any better, the Hunter New England, even though under control, still has cases amongst a number of local government areas, the Central Coast, the Illawarra Shoalhaven, Wollongong again the highest number of cases in this outbreak, Shellharbour, and we've got the issues in Canberra yesterday posting its highest level of infections, which does put pressure on southern NSW...," Mr Barilaro said.

"In one way you've got to manage all of that and the reality is this is about protecting lives and making sure we don't lose control in regional and rural NSW.

"We've also got the threat that's happening in Victoria and regional Victoria on the Albury-Wodonga or NSW Victorian border, and especially places like Shepparton.

"We'll look at all that, we'll take advice from Kerry Chant and her team at the crisis cabinet and we'll make a decision.

11.30am

NSW residents should focus on vaccination rates, not the number of daily cases, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

"We've made the point the most important figure moving forward is the rate of vaccination and that remains the case," she said.

"As soon as we hit all those milestones we will have those extra freedoms and we're looking forward as a team to announce tomorrow or the day after what life looks like in September for those who are fully vaccinated.

"This is a really important message - no matter what the case numbers are doing when you hit those high rates of vaccination you're giving everyone protection, you're reducing the chance of a spread and you're keeping people out of hospital.

"When you hit 70 per cent double dose, as the Doherty report states you start to transition into talking about the rate of hospitalisation not the number of cases and the number of cases becomes less relevant.

"Now I don't want to takeaway the situation NSW is in because everyday we're working night and day to put downward pressure on those cases don't get me wrong. Everyday we want to see case numbers go down not go up.

"But moving forward the most important rate, the most important number for us is how many people are protected, how many people have that suit of armour, because we know that keeps people out of hospital, it reduces their chance of being contagious and it allows all of us to look forward to living life more freely."

11.10am

Deputy Premier John Barilaro said 49 new cases were recorded in the Western NSW local health district, 35 in Dubbo, seven in Bourke, five in Orange, one in Narromine and one in Walgett.

Seven cases were recorded in the far west, four in Hunter/New England, eight in Illawarra/Shoalhaven and one in the Central Coast.

PREVIOUSLY:

NSW has recorded 919 new cases of locally-acquired COVID-19.

Two people died in the 14 hours to 8pm yesterday, including a mother in her 30s.

106 people were in isolation while infectious, 55 cases were infectious while in the community, while the isolation status of 758 cases is under investigation.

125,000 vaccinations were administered in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday.

645 people with COVID are in hospital and 113 in ICU.

178 cases are linked to known clusters, and the source of 741 are under investigation.

A decision about regional NSW's lockdown is expected to be announced tomorrow.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro flagged previously it was possible LGAs with no cases could be released from lockdown.

He also said Victoria's could help Albury and other southern areas escape lockdown on Saturday

IN OTHER NEWS:

It comes as Victoria recorded 45 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to midnight yesterday.

The majority of the cases, 28, were in the community while infectious.

Yesterday NSW recorded 753 cases, Victoria recorded 50 and ACT recorded 30.

Murrumbidgee Local Health District revealed new exposure sites in Temora and Beckom after a positive case attended various premises.

During his daily press conference Victoria COVID Commander Jerone Weimar warned more cases would be unearthed in Shepparton in coming days.

"We've got a lot more people to test over the next two to three days so I'd expect to continue to see numbers rise over the next few days," he said.

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