Thread by @NSWHealth

NSW recorded 97 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Of these locally acquired cases, 61 are linked to a known case or cluster – 45 are household contacts and 16 are close contacts – and the source of infection for 36 cases remains under investigation.

60 cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period and seven cases were in isolation for part of their infectious period. 24 cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of six cases remain under investigation.

Two new overseas-acquired cases were recorded in the same period. The total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic is now 6,362.

There have been 864 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in the Bondi cluster was reported.

There are currently 71 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 20 people in intensive care, four of whom require ventilation.

There were 65,322 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 49,055.

NSW Health administered 20,622 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, including 6,587 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.

The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 2,783,768, with 1,094,431 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 1,689,337 administered by the GP network and other providers to 11.59pm on Monday 12 July.

Of the 97 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night, 70 are from South Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 14 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD,

five are from Sydney LHD, four are from Western Sydney LHD, two are from Northern Sydney LHD and two are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD.

The high number of COVID-19 cases and exposure venues in the Fairfield Local Government Area (LGA) means Fairfield residents who work in other LGAs must now be tested for COVID-19 every three days, even if they do not have symptoms.

At this time, it is most important to focus on anyone with who has COVID-19 symptoms or is a close or casual contact of confirmed cases.

These people must immediately get tested as soon as possible. We ask you to please stay in the line when testing clinics are busy, and identify yourself to staff and tell them that you have symptoms.

People who don’t have symptoms who will be travelling outside of the Fairfield area for work have until the end of Friday 16 July to get tested.

These people, who do not have symptoms, do not need to wait for a negative test before going to work although they must carry proof of the test and then after 16 July, they must get a test every three days.

To support this mandatory surveillance testing, a 24/7 COVID-19 testing clinic has opened in the car park of the Endeavour Sports Park on Maud Street.

The 24/7 drive-through clinic is open around the clock until further notice so that workers can fulfil their obligation to get tested every three days.

A number of existing COVID-19 testing clinics in the Fairfield area are also extending their opening hours, including:
•Fairfield Showground Syd-Path Drive-Through Clinic, 443 Smithfield Road, Prairiewood – open every day from 6.30am to 10pm until further notice

•Smithfield Douglass Hanly Moir Drive-Through Clinic, Brenan Park, Bourke Street, Smithfield – open every day from 6am to 8pm until further notice

•Bossley Park Laverty Pathology Drive-Through Clinic, Club Marconi, 121-133 Prairie Vale Road (enter via Restwell Road to underground park), Bossley Park – open every day from 8.30am to 6pm until further notice

•Wetherill Park 4Cyte Drive-Through Clinic, 22-30 Mansfield Street (enter via 31 Rosetti Street), Wetherill Park – open every day except Saturdays from 8am to 8pm until further notice.

Additionally, workers from across Greater Sydney who work at locations more than 50km from the outer boundary of the Shellharbour, Wollongong, Wollondilly, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Central Coast LGAs must be tested for COVID-19 every seven days,

even if they do not have symptoms. From 14-18 July, workers from Greater Sydney can continue to work more than 50km from the outer boundary of the Shellharbour, Wollongong, Wollondilly, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Central Coast LGAs if they have not been tested,

however they must take reasonable steps to do so prior to 19 July. From 19 July, a worker must be tested every seven days to continue working more than 50 kilometres outside of Greater Sydney.

People in Greater Sydney must stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary to leave. You should only be shopping for essential items and only leaving the house for as short a period of time as possible.

We encourage people to shop online or use click and collect options. If you do leave home for an essential reason, remember to check in anywhere you visit.

Please remember that we cannot have visitors to our homes at the moment, and your household only includes those who live with you – not any other family members.

We are asking people not to seek exceptions to the rules, but instead to ensure they comply with them, in order to reduce the number of infectious cases of COVID-19 in the community.

Transmission in workplaces remains a concern. Everyone should work from home if possible. For essential workplaces:
•Limit the interaction and mixing of employees, prevent meetings and gatherings, and reduce the size of the groups.

•It is mandatory to wear masks – including indoors and outdoors on construction sites.
•Remind everyone in the workplace that they must not attend if they have even mild cold like symptoms. They need to get a test immediately and isolate until they get a negative result.

They also need to check the NSW Government website every day for updated venues in case they are a contact.

NSW Health’s ongoing sewage surveillance program has detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 in a number of sewerage systems in Sydney, including St Marys, Hornsby Heights, Camellia, Fairfield, Blakehurst, and Padstow.

People in these areas are asked to be especially vigilant for the onset of any cold-like symptoms, and if they appear, to be tested immediately and isolate until a negative result is received.

If you are directed to get tested for COVID 19 or self-isolate at any time, you must follow the rules whether or not the venue or exposure setting is listed on the NSW Health website.

Please check the NSW Government website regularly and follow the relevant health advice if you have attended a venue of concern or travelled on a public transport route at the same time as a confirmed case of COVID-19.

This list is being updated regularly as case investigations proceed.

NSW Health thanks the community for coming forward for testing. High testing numbers are vital in detecting cases of COVID-19 in order to prevent further transmission, and to keep our friends and families safe.

We continue to urge anyone with even the mildest of symptoms to be tested immediately and isolate until a negative result is received. If symptoms appear again, be tested and isolate again.

There are more than 380 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit: nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-t… or contact your GP.