NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
There were three cases acquired overseas, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 4,928.
There were 10,551 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day's total of 11,816.
From early this morning, NSW Health began screening passengers arriving on flights from Melbourne following the diagnosis of a positive case of COVID-19 in a hotel quarantine worker in Melbourne late on Wednesday. They are also being asked if they have been to any of the venues of concern listed on the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) website.
Anyone who has been in Melbourne since 30 January 2021 is asked to check the Victorian health website, to check if they have attended a public exposure site. If they have they should get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days since being there, regardless of the result. They should not travel to NSW.
You must also get tested again towards the end the 14-day period (12 days after exposure) regardless of symptoms. In addition, if you develop any symptoms during that period, please get tested immediately.
People who arrive from Victoria will also have to complete passenger declaration. People who provide false information are subject to an on-the-spot fine.
Anyone else in NSW who has recently been in Melbourne should continue to monitor the Victorian DHHS website for additional venues of concern and updated health advice and follow this advice.
In a separate incident relating to a Victorian quarantine facility, NSW Health has also been advised that five people in NSW were staying at a quarantine hotel at the same time as transmission took place between guests in adjacent rooms.
These five people have already been contacted and advised to get tested and isolate for 14 days since they were there regardless of the test result, and to test again at the end of that period.
NSW Health is closely monitoring the situation in Victoria and will update its health advice accordingly. We will continue to work closely with our colleagues in Victoria and other jurisdictions to ensure that appropriate public health measures are in place to protect the community.
Today is the 18th day in a row with no reported locally acquired cases in NSW, but as the Melbourne case indicates, we cannot drop our guard.
High testing rates are vital in helping to contain the spread of the disease, as this gives us the best chance of finding new cases and preventing new chains of transmission from becoming established.
NSW Health continues to urge people across the state to come forward for testing with even the mildest of cold-like symptoms that could signal COVID-19, such as a sore throat, cough, fever or runny nose. After testing, you must remain in isolation until a negative result is received.
The state's ongoing sewage surveillance program recently detected traces of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the Ireland Park sewage network site, which serves about 88,000 people in the Liverpool catchment in south western Sydney.
While a small number of recovered cases live in this area, NSW Health is concerned that there may be undiagnosed active cases. Everyone in this area is asked to be particularly vigilant for symptoms and to isolate and get tested immediately if they appear.
There are more than 350 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-to-protect-yourself-and-others/clinics or contact your GP.
NSW Health is treating 50 COVID-19 cases, none of whom are in intensive care. Most cases (96 per cent) are being treated in non-acute, out-of-hospital care, including returned travellers in the Special Health Accommodation.
Note: Case counts reported for a particular day may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case review. *notified from 8pm 2 February 2021 to 8pm 3 February 2021**from 8pm 28 January 2021 to 8pm 3 February 2021
* Testing previously carried out on day 10 is now carried out on day 12.
COVID-19 Update - 4 February 2021
