NSW records 1599 local cases of COVID-19 and eight deaths

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The state passed the eight million mark for vaccinations, said health minister Brad Hazzard. He said 77.3 per cent of NSW's adult population has received one jab and 44.5 per cent is fully vaccinated.

NSW Health's Dr Jeremy McAnulty said there are now 1,164 people in hospital with COVID-19 in NSW. He said this includes 221 people in intensive care, with 94 of those requiring ventilation. 

Retrieval medicine specialist Dr Brian Burns said he believes Australians have a "responsibility" to get vaccinated."

He said the most common theme among COVID-19 patients he's seeing is that they are unvaccinated.

"It is awful to see these patients and these conditions," Dr Burns said.

"Often they are young, previously healthy and one that stands out to me was a young woman I recently transferred who had just delivered a baby."

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Mr Hazzard said that "until we get the vaccine in arms to the numbers we have identified", the state will continue to see a rise in hospitalisations and case numbers. 

It comes after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Friday that the daily COVID-19 press conferences would be cancelled and replaced with a daily pre-recorded video from health officials. 

She said ad hoc press briefings would be held as required. 

Mr Hazzard defended the decision to cancel daily press conferences, saying attending and preparing for press conferences eats up significant time.

"You think it is just for one hour or whatever it is that you walk in here," he told a reporter.

"But in fact, there is the preparation for the morning... There is a massive team of people getting ready, drawing in all the information."

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian speaks to the media during a press conference in Sydney, Friday, September 10, 2021. Source: AAP Image/Joel Carrett

Stay-at-home restrictions have been lifted for much of the state's northeast and southwest, including the regional centres of Coffs Harbour, Wagga Wagga and Albury.

Masks are mandatory at indoor public venues, but hospitality venues, shops, sporting facilities and beauty services have all been cleared to reopen with restrictions.

Up to five people will be allowed in a home and up to 20 can gather outdoors.

Entertainment venues like cinemas and theatres can also open with conditions, and outdoor and stadium events can also resume, with limits on attendees.

Weddings and funerals will be limited to 50 people, with churches and places of worship to open subject to the four square metre rule and no singing.

With AAP

SBS is providing live translations of daily New South Wales and Victoria COVID-19 press conferences in various languages. Click here for more information.

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