There have been 233 local cases of coronavirus in NSW in the past 24 hours, with the state recording two deaths.
A man in his 20s died in his home in Sydney's south-west. He had not been vaccinated. A woman in her 80s also died overnight.
"Our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones," Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
READ MORE: Man in his 20s dies 'suddenly' of COVID-19 in Sydney
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"But it demonstrates again how this disease is lethal, how it affects people of all ages.
"We understand the death happened quite suddenly."
At least 47 of the new cases were infectious while in the community.
"That's the number we are desperate to see reduced," Ms Berejiklian said.
"Can we urge people to please heed the health messages."
https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1422726071590408193Concerns for Hunter and Newcastle
Health authorities are deeply concerned about the detection of coronavirus in sewage in the Hunter region and Newcastle area.
"The sewerage detected high viral load which suggests there could be undetected cases up around the Newcastle area so we are really keep to have people come forward to get tested," Ms Berejiklian said.
"There will be a list of the drive-through testing places that people can go to."
Newcastle and the Hunter are currently not in lockdown.
READ MORE: More than 170 new exposures sites identified in NSW
Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant called on people from Newcastle to be on high alert.
"A particular call out for all of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie but particularly Birmingham Gardens, Shortland, Maryland, Fletcher, Minmi, Cameron Park, Mayfield, Stockton and Fern Bay," Dr Chant said.
"It is critical that we can get those testing levels up."
Low levels of coronavirus have also been detected at sewage treatment plants at Coffs Harbour and Mudgee.
Uncertainty around schools
Ms Berejiklian would not commit to whether students other than Year 12 will return to school in person this term.
"I don't want to make any of those comments until we have further information," she said.
"Let's take it a week at a time."
She flagged the likelihood that some areas would have students returning to school sooner than others.
"Clearly we know what the virus is doing in some parts of Sydney but in other areas like the Central Coast and Shellharbour and Wollongong we have seen a very, very low to zero number of cases," Ms Berejiklian said.
"It won't be uniform."
'Not the time' for visiting multiple shops
Dr Chant has called on Sydneysiders to minimise visits to shops.
"This is not the time for going into five or six shops," Dr Chant said.
"The last thing our contact tracers want is that people have gone to this bakery, to this bread shop, to this butcher to this thing."
She said the data indicated that mobility in Sydney was close to the same levels as Melbourne during its hard lockdown last year.
"Obviously it varies by some suburbs which are outliers," she said.
"I can't be clearer, please do not go out and about."
Premier flags vaccination goal
Residents across New South Wales are being urged to come forward to get vaccinated against the coronavirus with six million jabs needed before lockdowns are eased.
The figure is being touted as the key to freedoms returning in September.
But Ms Berejiklian says hitting the target of six million jabs - roughly equivalent to 50 per cent of the population - would not mean the state could fully open up.
READ MORE: Regional NSW residents having jab appointments cancelled so Sydney students can get vaccinated
More than 170 locations were been added to the state's list of COVID-19 exposure sites yesterday indicating active cases are still circulating in the community.
Due to the overwhelming number of cases NSW Health last night issued an alert urging people to check the NSW Government Website in case they may be at risk of infection.
The figures are still a long way off with south-west Sydney lagging behind the state's vaccination rates.
Just 14.6 per cent of resident there are immunised.
But the low rates are likely due to the younger population living in the region, with the AstraZeneca vaccine only recently becoming available to everyone over 18.
North Sydney and Hornsby are among the areas where vaccination rates are the highest.
The state is due to meet the six-million figure on August 28 if half a million vaccinations are given each week.
READ MORE: Cash payments for vaccines 'insult to Australians', PM says
Meanwhile, NSW hospitality giants are pushing for a vaccine passport-style reopening of businesses to try and claw back lost revenue from Sydney's lockdown.
Under the proposal patrons who have had both jabs would be allowed to go to restaurants and cafes.
Clubs NSW is pushing for more vaccine incentives, promoting a free drink for those who have had both doses of the vaccine.
