NSW has recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic with 36 lives were lost in the 24 hours to 8pm, while 29,830 new COVID-19 cases were recorded.
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Previously the state had recorded 29 deaths in a 24 hour period, that was on Friday, January 14.
Of the new cases, 13,763 came from positive rapid antigen tests while 16,067 came from PCR testing.
There are 2850 COVID-19 patients in hospital, with 209 in ICU.
Hospitalisation and ICU numbers are up on yesterday, when 2776 patients were being cared for with 203 in ICU.
NSW Health says of the positive RAT results, 11,564 of these positive tests were from the previous seven days.
NSW Health also noted some of the cases included in the numbers where people had reported positive RATs on multiple days and/or where people had a positive PCR test during the same reporting period.
The state's population aged 16 years and over is now 93.8 per cent fully vaccinated, while 95.2 per cent have had their first COVID-19 vaccine shot.
26.5 per cent have had their third dose of vaccine.
Those aged between 12 and 15 years are 78.3 per cent fully vaccinated, while 82.1 per cent have had their first dose.
Of those aged 5 to 11 years old, 13.9 per cent have had their first vaccine dose.
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NSW Health will release further details of today's cases at 11am.
As cases continue to rise across the state, Premier Dominic Perrottet has warned lockdown is "the only alternative".
"The best way out of this pandemic is to continue to stand strong and to push through," he told reporters.
"It's not the easy approach but it's the right approach.
"The only alternative is to go into lockdown."
- with Australian Associated Press