NSW latest Covid-19 update as at 15 February

NSW recorded no new locally acquired and no overseas-acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, meaning the total number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic remains at 4,949.

There were 15,695 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day's total of 16,302.

This is NSW's 29th consecutive day with no reported locally acquired cases. While this milestone is pleasing, it does not mean we can drop our guard. Cases are present in other states and across the Tasman, as well as being regularly detected among international arrivals.

It is vital that we continue to follow public health advice and continue to maintain social distancing and good hygiene, wear masks on public transport, and come forward for testing with even the mildest of symptoms.

After the New Zealand Government yesterday introduced lockdown measures across Auckland and increased restrictions in other parts of the country, people arriving in NSW from NZ will now be required to leave Australia or enter hotel quarantine for 14 days.

These measures are supported by a new hotspot identification under the Air Transportation Public Health Order declared by the NSW Chief Health Officer, and effective as of 12.01am this morning. These hotspots cover Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Wellington, Queenstown, Rotorua and their airports, from which people exit New Zealand.

NSW Health is contacting everyone who has arrived in NSW from New Zealand from 6 February to 14 February to provide them with the relevant advice.

These people are being told to avoid high-risk locations such as aged-care homes, and healthcare facilities unless seeking treatment. They must work from home wherever possible and avoid large social gatherings.

People who have been in locations identified by the NZ government as places where COVID-19 transmission may have occurred are required to be tested and, depending on the nature of the exposure, either isolate until a test result is negative or for the full 14 days following their potential exposure.

Given the outbreak in Melbourne, NSW also strongly advises against all non-essential travel to Victoria at this time. People subject to the restrictions in Victoria should not be travelling to NSW unless they are permitted to do so.

NSW Health would like to thank everyone who has recently arrived from Victoria for cooperating with the requirements of the Public Health Order, and for coming forward for testing if they have been at venues of concern.

Under the provisions of the Order, anyone who arrived in NSW from Victoria from midnight on Friday must comply with the five-day stay-at-home requirements in the order, which concludes at 11.59pm on Wednesday, 17 February. People subject to the order are permitted to leave their place of residence if they have a reasonable excuse. Reasonable excuses include: shopping for essential items, medical and other care and caregiving, outdoor exercise, emergencies and essential work.

For NSW residents living in the border region , the stay-at-home requirement does not apply. The border region is defined as the area covered by the border 'bubble' in place in November last year.

Other people in NSW who have been in Victoria in the past two weeks are asked to monitor the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website for updated information on venues of concern, and to follow the advice provided if they have visited any of those sites. Currently, different advice applies according to which of these places people attended, reflecting the assessed risk.

NSW contact tracers have now called more than 98 per cent of the approximately 7,000 people who attended any of the Melbourne Airport terminals from 7 to 9 February, and who subsequently arrived in NSW, to provide the relevant health advice. Calls to the remainder are continuing.

Investigations continue into the source of infection of a returned overseas traveller from the Wollongong area who tested positive for COVID-19 after being released from hotel quarantine.

While investigations are continuing to determine the source, it is possible that the infection may have been acquired overseas and is an older infection. Some tests need to be taken over several days, and further information will be released as it becomes available, but genomic testing results indicate this case is not related to any other cases in hotel quarantine at the same time.

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.

NSW Health is treating 27 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.

Likely source of confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW

Note: Case counts reported for a particular day may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case review.

*notified from 8pm 13 February 2021 to 8pm 14 February 2021

**from 8pm 8 February 2021 to 8pm 14 February 2021

Returned travellers in hotel quarantine to date

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

Today's video update with Dr Jeremy McAnulty