NSW has recorded a further 28 virus-related deaths, two of whom were people in their 40s, as support comes for businesses hit by COVID-19 safety measures at schools.
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There were 7,893 COVID-19 cases reported on Sunday, 4,337 of which were from positive rapid antigen tests, bringing the total number of positive RATs since reporting began on January 13 to 285,053.
The 3,556 positive PCR results reported on Sunday were returned from 35,697 PCR tests.
Of the 28 people who died, two people were in their 40s, three people were in their 60s, six people were in their 70s, ten people were in their 80s, and seven people were in their 90s.
Five of these people had received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, 20 people had received two doses, and three people were unvaccinated.
There are currently 2,321 coronavirus patients in the state's hospitals, 147 of whom are in intensive care.
Some 94 per cent of eligible NSW adults are double vaccinated against COVID, while 43.5 per cent have received a third dose. Of children aged 5 to 11, 42.8 per cent have now had their first jab.
Treasurer Matt Kean said businesses like overnight camp and music education providers impacted by school COVID safety measures in late 2021 will now have access to a $14 million grant program.
"The grants will provide eligible businesses and not for profit organisations one-off payments equal to 40 per cent of their decline in Term 4 2021 turnover compared to previous years, up to $15,000," Mr Kean said on Sunday.
Meanwhile, a survey of workers in the NSW disability sector has found that only 3.2 per cent reported having access to RATs for themselves and 3.2 per cent had tests for the people they support.
The Community and Public Service Union of NSW, which conducted the survey, has written to the NSW and Federal government warning of a "COVID-19 crisis" in the state's privatised disability sector with workers "forced to put themselves and those they care for at risk of infection".
The union's assistant secretary Troy Wright has called on the government to provide a surge workforce and retention pay.
"I am hearing stories from members of only finding out there are COVID-19 cases at the group home once they've arrived for a shift," Mr Wright said.
"We're hearing from members telling us their employer doesn't have enough PPE or any tests for them."
On Monday, elective surgery will return ahead of schedule in NSW, following a fall in hospitalisations.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said on Friday hospitals were operating "well within capacity", opening the door for those surgeries to resume in private and non-metropolitan public hospitals next week.
The decision to cancel elective surgery was made in January, as daily case numbers topped 38,000.
A review into the situation was initially slated for mid-February but advice from NSW Health now says private, regional and rural public hospitals can return to up to 75 per cent of pre-pandemic activity on Monday.
Waiting times for elective surgery can stretch as long as seven weeks, with hospitals back-logged with bookings from cancellations over 2020.
Australian Associated Press
