'Wake-up call to young people': Patient in their 30s in ICU in NSW

Health authorities in New South Wales are urging young people in the state to take coronavirus seriously, as a patient in their 30s is admitted to the intensive care unit.

Speaking in Sydney today, Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said that 37 people in the state were currently in hospital for the disease.

"Of that total 37, 14 are under the age of 55, which should dispel the myth that this is something that only impacts on the elderly," Dr Chant said.

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"Of the seven people in ICU, one is in their 30s. One in their 50s, two in their 60s and three in their 70s."

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Two of the seven patients in intensive care are being ventilated.

Dr Chant said these numbers should be a "wake-up call to young people".

The Delta variant of the disease is much more dangerous to young people compared to other strains of coronavirus.

While most vaccines have been shown to be slightly less effective against the Delta variant, severe cases of coronavirus in vaccinated people are incredibly rare.

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Health Minister Brad Hazzard lamented the lack of vaccine supply in NSW.

"It's safe to say that if we had had the supply that we wanted and we would have wanted, we wouldn't now be in this situation here in New South Wales," he said.

"The lack of certainty of supply going forward is causing us massive concern."

Lockdown has been extended in Greater Sydney for another week as case numbers of coronavirus continue to grow.

NSW recorded 27 new locally-acquired cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours.

There have been 2.4 million vaccines administered in the state.

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