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Lisa Wilkinson spoke for many frustrated Sydney residents on The Project on Thursday night, saying the city's bumper day of new coronavirus cases felt like a 'gut punch'.
The locked down TV host said the spiralling number of positive Covid cases, including at least 70 more infectious in the community, had taken the wind out of frustrated Sydneysiders.
'Like most people in NSW at the moment – that number that started with a two today felt like a real gut punch,' Ms Wilkinson said.
She explained that the worrying figure signalled a new low in the fight against the virus, with the city's highest ever daily rate - even when the pandemic began back in March 2020.
'I think we thought that it might nudge close to 200 but the fact that it was so far over the 200 number really felt like the game has changed – we are in a whole different realm.
'I don't think anybody thinks for a moment that we will be out of this at the end of August.'
Despite a record 110,962 tests being conducted in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian believes case numbers are set to worsen in her state (pictured, a deserted Sydney CBD)
The penalty for not wearing a face mask will increase from $200 to $500, with thousands of police officers deployed across Greater Sydney to enforce the tightened restrictions
She went on to point out Covid jab hesitation has reduced in recent weeks, which will 'hopefully give a lot of people in NSW who get the vaccine a fighting chance.'
A record 110,962 tests were conducted in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday, but NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian believes the situation is set to worsen.
'So many people have been infectious in the community day on day on day,' she said. 'It just keeps the ripple effect going.'
NSW health officials said 104 of the new cases on Thursday - almost half - were found in southwest Sydney, while 58 were detected in the city's west.
Another 51 though - up from 20 on Wednesday - were found in the central Sydney local health district in a worrying sign
