Australia has recorded its youngest female COVID-19 death to date - a Sydney woman in her late 30s without pre-existing conditions.
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The death of the central Sydney resident has prompted a plea from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian for young people to adhere to lockdown measures and seek out the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The premier also says her government will this week start "critical planning" on policy settings after the lockdown's scheduled end.
NSW recorded 141 new local virus cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday and two deaths - the other of a woman in her 70s from Sydney's southwest.
At least 62 of those diagnosed were circulating in the community for all or part of their infectious period.
Greater Sydney and surrounds are locked down until at least July 30, three regional NSW areas until at least July 28.
Eight people have died in the current Sydney outbreak.
"If anybody thinks this is a disease just affecting older people, please think again ... younger people without pre-existing conditions can also fall victim to this cruel disease," Ms Berejiklian told reporters on Sunday.
The 141 cases came from a record of more than 102,000 tests. There are 43 people in intensive care, with 18 ventilated.
With Sydney's lockdown preventing exponential growth in infections but failing to drive local case numbers down, Ms Berejiklian reinforced immunisation advice.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation on Saturday said everyone 18 and over in Greater Sydney "should strongly consider getting vaccinated with any available vaccine including COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca".
While Pfizer supplies remain constrained, the NSW government says it has plentiful AstraZeneca, which is manufactured locally and effectively prevents hospitalisation or death.
Of those in intensive care in NSW, none were fully vaccinated.
Ms Berejiklian and her government this week pointed to vaccination as a way out of the outbreak - which is at odds with Prime Minister Scott Morrison's emphasis on lockdown.
In NSW, 15.4 per cent of eligible residents are fully vaccinated.
"(Vaccination) won't stop the spread alone but it will definitely, definitely slow the spread down," Ms Berejiklian said.
Mr Morrison says NSW vaccine uptake would not be fast enough and lockdown needs to remain the primary tool.
"The vaccines can provide some assistance ... (but) what's going to end this lockdown is it being effective," he told reporters.
Ms Berejiklian also said her government would this week try to pin down policy settings for the coming months.
She said she wanted to "get the right balance" including providing freedoms where virus transmission risk is minimal.
It comes as the NSW treasurer calls for the reintroduction of the JobKeeper wage subsidy amid Greater Sydney's outbreak and Labor demands a summit to discuss the health crisis.
But the federal government has poured cold water on the idea.
Disquiet over the lockdown erupted dramatically on Saturday afternoon, as thousands marched through Sydney's CBD.
Scores have been arrested over the protest action, which Ms Berejiklian says left her disgusted and heart-broken. Two men have also been charged with striking a police horse.
The latest lockdown has prevented all but essential workers leaving Cumberland, Blacktown, Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury-Bankstown local government areas.
Local elections in NSW have been postponed to December 4.
Australian Associated Press
