SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
NSW Health has confirmed two COVID-19-related deaths – a south west Sydney woman aged in her 90s and a man in his 80s from the same local government area. Both were not vaccinated.
It said the woman died yesterday morning at Liverpool Hospital while the man, also from Liverpool, died yesterday afternoon at Royal North Shore Hospital.
“NSW Health extends its sincere condolences to their family and friends,” the health authority said in a statement today.
“These are the 12th and 13th COVID-19-related deaths during the current outbreak.”
There are currently 182 COVID-19 cases admitted to NSW hospitals, with 54 people in intensive care, 22 of whom require ventilation.
NSW recorded 239 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. Of these cases, 113 are linked to a known case or cluster – 88 are household contacts and 25 are close contacts – and the source of infection for 126 cases is under investigation.
“Eighty-one cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period and 22 cases were in isolation for part of their infectious period. Sixty-six cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of 70 cases remains under investigation,” NSW Healths aid.
There have now been 2,810 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June, when the first case in the Bondi cluster was reported.
There were a record 110,962 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 94,532.
Of the 239 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night, 104 are from South Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 58 are from Western Sydney LHD, 51 are from Sydney LHD, 14 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD, five are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, three are from Northern Sydney LHD, and four are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD.
NSW Health’s ongoing sewage surveillance program has detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the sewage treatment plant in the regional area of Armidale.
“NSW Health is aware of a recently recovered COVID-19 case in this area, who acquired their infection elsewhere.”
“People who have recently recovered from COVID-19 may continue to shed virus fragments into the sewer system for several weeks. However, NSW Health still advises people to continue to be vigilant for symptoms.”
The sewage treatment plant serves about 24,000 people in the Armidale area.
NSW Health continues to urge everyone throughout NSW, to get tested immediately if they have even the mildest of symptoms. High rates of testing are critical to detecting transmission and prevent further spread of COVID-19 in the community.
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.
