Nineteen new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in the 24 hours to 8pm last night bringing the total number of cases in NSW to 3,444.
There were 24,640 tests carried out in the 24-hour reporting period, compared with 18,465 tests in the previous 24 hours. Over the past week we have seen record numbers of people being tested, with over 27,000 on one day, which is more than a 50 percent increase on the previous week.
In the last week there have been 153,195 tests undertaken across NSW compared with 99,875 in the previous week.
The 19 new cases are:
One of the cases associated today with the Thai Rock cluster is a child who attended Tomaree Public School. The school will is closed today while contact tracing and cleaning is underway.
Another case associated with the Thai Rock cluster is a young child who attends Goodstart Early Learning Anna Bay. The centre will be closed today while contact tracing and cleaning is underway.
Hunter New England Local Health District is urging anyone who visited the following locations to watch for COVID-19 symptoms and get tested immediately should any respiratory symptoms or fever occur:
The Woolworths store has been deep cleaned overnight with extra attention to touch points. The Café has also been thoroughly cleaned and there is no ongoing risk to the community at this venue.
A new three lane drive through clinic will open at Tomaree Sports Complex, 20 Aquatic Cl, Nelson Bay, this afternoon and will then operate 8am-4pm seven days however hours will be extended as required to meet demand.
There are now 56 cases associated with the Crossroads Hotel cluster, 46 cases associated with the Thai Rock restaurant and eight cases associated with the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club. While most cases have been linked to known clusters, community transmission continue and NSW Health is calling on people across the state to redouble their efforts to stop the virus spreading.
It is critical that anyone feeling unwell – even with the mildest of symptoms such as a runny nose or scratchy throat – seeks testing and self-isolates until they get the result. Stay at home, and do not go to work or catch public transport until you are cleared of COVID-19. A full list of COVID-19 testing clinics is available or people can visit their GP.
If people have been directed to undertake a full 14 self-isolation period, they must stay in isolation for the full period, even if they undertake a test that comes back negative. This is because early testing may not detect an infection, and release from self-isolation based on a negative test could allow an infectious person to infect others in the community. The self-isolation period is 14 days as most people who are infected and develop symptoms will develop symptoms within 14 days of infection.
People who work in high-risk settings such as healthcare facilities or aged care homes must not to attend work if they have symptoms and must get tested immediately. People should also not visit relatives in these settings if they have even the mildest of symptoms or have recently returned from Victoria or attended affected venues.
It is essential people follow directions they receive about home isolation and quarantine and maintain COVID-safe practices of physical distancing of 1.5 metres, cough or sneeze into their elbow, and regularly wash their hands.
There are 94 COVID-19 cases being treated by NSW Health, with one in intensive care. They are being ventilated and on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). In NSW, 2,799 people are known to have recovered from COVID-19.
Counts reported for a particular day may vary over time with ongoing enhanced surveillance activities.
Watch the video update.