New South Wales has recorded 29,830 new cases, with 2850 people currently in hospital with COVID-19 while ICU admissions were up slightly to 209.

Sadly, another 36 people have died in NSW after testing positive; the state’s deadliest day of the pandemic in the latest reporting period.

Of the new infections reported 29,830, 13,763 were from RAT tests and 16,067 from PCR tests.

Premier Dominic Perrottet was confident about his government’s handling of the outbreak.

“Based on the vaccination rate in this state … we can remain safe and will push through this next challenging period of time,” he told ABC Radio Sydney this morning.

“This is not simply a New South Wales issue — this is a global issue … and our settings mirror the settings in Victoria. We’re not an island here in New South Wales.”

Mr Perrottet also stressed that living with COVID-19 was the only way forward as closing down the state “is not an option”.

“[Lockdowns] might minimise transmission of the virus but then as you open up again we will have the virus spread,” he said.

Moreover, students returning to schools, would be requested to take rapid antigen tests at home twice a week under the NSW government’s back-to-school plan, reports say.

“To all parents, from the state’s perspective, we are completely committed to ensuring that we have schools open on day one term one in a safe environment for both your children and for teachers right across the board.”

“The World Health [Organisation] has said, schools should be the last to close and the first to open.”

Moving on to Victoria, 20,180 new cases and 22 more deaths were reported.

The state’s hospitalisations sit at 1,152, down from 1,229 reported on Monday. Of the patients in hospital, there are 127 in intensive care, 43 of whom are in need of ventilation.

Currently, the are at least 235,035 active cases in the state while more essential workers prepare to return to their jobs with the government expanding isolation exemptions for close contacts from midnight tonight.

Teachers and emergency services, prisons, freight and transport worker who are close contacts will be able to return to work from tonight.

Ambulance Victoria is no longer asking paramedics who are close contacts to return to work, the union says.

As key service workers are asked to return to work, daily RAT testing requirements create more concerns in terms of the plan’s viability with NSW and Victoria still dealing with supply shortages and high test kit pricing.

Tasmania has recorded 1,310 new coronavirus cases and there are 25 COVID-positive people in hospital, with two people are in intensive care.

Of the hospitalisations, 12 are being treated specifically for their COVID symptoms.

The state government is working with Hobart City Council to get City Hall ready to provide outpatient treatment if more capacity is needed.

More to come.