17 April 2021

NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Seven new cases were acquired overseas, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,181.

There were 8,763 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day's total of 10,415.

There were 4,018 COVID-19 vaccines administered by NSW Health in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. The total number of vaccines administered by NSW Health is now 173,302.

CasesCount
Confirmed cases (including interstate residents in NSW health care facilities) 5,181
Deaths (in NSW from confirmed cases) 56
Total tests carried out 5,524,220
Total vaccinations administered by NSW Health173,302

NSW Health was notified on Friday 16 April that returned overseas travellers who were diagnosed with COVID-19 while in hotel quarantine have the same viral sequence.

This suggests there may have been transmission of the infection within hotel quarantine.

The seven cases, all from two family groups, arrived from different countries and on different days, but stayed in adjacent rooms on the 12th floor of the Adina Apartments Hotel, Town Hall.

The cases have previously been counted as overseas-acquired cases in NSW Health's daily COVID-19 reporting. This classification will be reviewed pending further investigation.

The cases have been separately transferred to the Special Health Accommodation and present no risk of transmission to the community. Follow-up testing and further investigation is underway.

Staff who worked on the 12th floor of the hotel while the original case was potentially infectious – believed to be between Thursday 8 and Sunday 11 April – are self-isolating until they receive further advice from NSW Health. All security staff who worked on the 12th floor during this period have had at least one vaccination, with some fully vaccinated.

All other returned travellers who were on the 12th floor of the hotel during this time have been retested and have returned negative results.

NSW Health is treating 63 COVID-19 cases, most of whom (92 per cent) are being treated in non-acute, out-of-hospital care, including returned travellers in the Special Health Accommodation. Two people with COVID-19 are currently in ICU, the admission of one of these patients is unrelated to the virus.

Testing rates have fallen in recent days. NSW Health strongly urges anyone with even the mildest of symptoms to isolate and get tested immediately.

There are more than 350 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW. To find your nearest clinic, visit: COVID-19 clinics or contact your GP.

Likely source of confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW

Likely source of infectionCases past 24 hours*Cases past 7 days**All cases
Overseas 7433,001
Interstate 0090
Locally acquired – linked to known case or cluster 001,640
Locally acquired – no links to known case or cluster00450
Locally acquired – investigation ongoing 000
Under initial investigation000
Total 7435,181

Note: Case counts reported for a particular day may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case review.
* notified from 8pm 15 April 2021 to 8pm 16 April 2021
** from 8pm 10 April 2021 to 8pm 16 April 2021

Returned travellers in hotel quarantine to date

Since 29 March 2020Count
Symptomatic travellers tested 11,979
Found positive233
Since 30 June 2020Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 2 94,809
Found positive590
From 15 May 2020 to 12 January 2021Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 1079,623
Found positive182
Since 13 January 2021Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 12*26,784
Found positive27

* Testing previously carried out on day 10 is now carried out on day 12.

COVID-19 vaccination update

COVID-19 vaccination doses administered by NSW Health
Doses past 24 hours*All doses
First doses 2,000118,747
Second doses 2,01854,555
Total4,018173,302

*notified from 8pm 15 April 2021 to 8pm 16 April 2021

Note: NSW Health’s vaccination clinics generally operate Monday to Friday. Therefore, there may be limited or no vaccines administered on weekend days and public holidays due to planned closures.

Watch today’s video update with Dr Stephen Conaty