NSW recorded four new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
An additional case was also recorded in a returned traveller, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 4,789.
There were 32,667 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day's total of 26,391. NSW Health thanks the community for raising testing numbers and urges everyone throughout the state to continue to come forward with even the mildest of symptoms. High testing numbers are vital to finding undetected cases and helping to contain the spread of COVID-19.
| Cases | Count |
|---|---|
| Confirmed cases (including interstate residents in NSW health care facilities) | 4,789 |
| Deaths (in NSW from confirmed cases) | 56 |
| Total tests carried out | 4,251,699 |
Of the four new locally acquired cases to 8pm last night:
- One is linked to the Berala cluster, and is the young man from western Sydney reported yesterday who travelled to western NSW. There are now 16 cases in the Berala cluster.
- One, a man in his 20s, is a household contact of a case linked to the Avalon cluster. This brings the total number of cases for the Avalon cluster to 149.
- One, from western Sydney, is a household contact of a previously reported case whose source remains under investigation but is likely to be linked to the Berala cluster.
- One, a man in his 30s from western Sydney, is under investigation.
In addition, one case was acquired overseas.
Testing has taken place for the travelling companions of the case first announced yesterday who visited towns in western NSW. All of them have tested negative for COVID-19. They will remain in isolation for 14 days and will be tested again if they get any symptoms. They will also be required to return a negative result prior to the end of their isolation period.
NSW Health last night announced a number of new venues in Sydney's west visited by confirmed cases of COVID-19, as well as revised potential exposure times at two previously announced venues in the state's west and far west.
New locations in western Sydney were last night added to the list of venues of concern, including the Merrylands RSL, the Sydney Murugan Temple at Mays Hill, the Saravaana Bhavan Indian Restaurant in Parramatta and the Sydney Marina Dine In and Take Away at Pendle Hill. Information on all venues visited by COVID cases is available on the NSW Government websiteand everyone is urged to check regularly for new information as it emerges.
New testing clinics have been opened at Berala and Lidcombe. A new walk-in clinic outside the school hall at Berala Public School (216 Harrow Road) is open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week. A new drive-through clinic is operating in Lidcombe and open from 9am to 5pm today, and 8am to 5pm every day thereafter. This drive-through clinic is at Sydney University's Cumberland Campus (39 Weeroona Road, Lidcombe), with access via Gate 3.
A high-volume drive-through COVID-19 testing clinic is also open at Merrylands Park, at the corner of Burnett Street and Merrylands Road, from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week. Testing is quick, convenient and free, and you don't need a Medicare card to have a COVID-19 test.
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 COVID-19 clinics or contact your GP.
The state's ongoing sewage surveillance program has detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the treatment plant in Warriewood. Everyone in this area is asked to monitor for symptoms and get tested and isolate immediately if they appear.
NSW Health is treating 112 COVID-19 cases, none of whom are in intensive care. Most cases (99 per cent) are being treated in non-acute, out-of-hospital care, including returned travellers in the Special Health Accommodation.
Likely source of confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW
| Likely source of infection | Cases past 24 hours* | Cases past 7 days** | All cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overseas | 1 | 34 | 2,633 |
| Interstate | 0 | 0 | 90 |
| Locally acquired - linked to known case or cluster | 3 | 27 | 1,620 |
| Locally acquired - no links to known case or cluster | 0 | 0 | 435 |
| Locally acquired - investigation ongoing | 1 | 4 | 11 |
| Under initial investigation | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 5 | 65 | 4,789 |
Note: Case counts reported for a particular day may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case review.
*notified from 8pm 3 January 2020 to 8pm 4 January 2021
**from 8pm 29 December 2020 to 8pm 4 January 2021
Returned travellers in hotel quarantine to date
| Since 29 March 2020 | Count |
|---|---|
| Symptomatic travellers tested | 8,535 |
| Found positive | 179 |
| Since 30 June 2020 | Count |
|---|---|
| Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 2 | 65,044 |
| Found positive | 406 |
| Since 15 May 2020 | Count |
|---|---|
| Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 10 | 77,354 |
| Found positive | 177 |
Today's press conference will be uploaded to the Press conferences page once available.
