NSW has recorded three local cases of coronavirus in the most recent 24-hour reporting period, all linked to the Berala cluster in western Sydney.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the new cases were in a man and a woman in their 30s and a child. They were close contacts of a previously reported case.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.Credit:Christopher Pearce
Dr Chant called on the state’s general practitioners to encourage people in the community to get tested for COVID-19.
There were 18,570 tests conducted in NSW in the most recent period, compared with 23,763 the previous day – both figures lower than the state’s aim.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said one further case, which led to the closure of Mount Druitt’s emergency department overnight, was reported after 8pm AEDT on Sunday.
“As a precaution, all that deep-cleaning, all that activity was undertaken to make sure that the disease hasn't spread since that case was identified,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“The case regarding the patient at Mount Druitt emergency department is still under investigation. There's no direct link yet… [but] our contact-tracers do a great job of finding those cross-over points of contact.”
Dr Chant said that case was a man in his 40s. A household contact of his, also in their 40s, has since tested positive.
"[The man] did spend some time in the emergency department whilst awaiting the test. As a precaution, we are ensuring that all staff or patients who may have had inadvertent contact are assessed and appropriate public health measures put in place," she said.
"The emergency department has been extensively and thoroughly cleaned and is now coming back online."
Mount Druitt Hospital closed its emergency department on Monday morning after a later confirmed coronavirus case attended.Credit:Nine
A Western Sydney Local Health District spokeswoman said a person with COVID-19 symptoms first presented to the hospital’s emergency department on Saturday.
"This individual was tested for COVID-19 and moved to an area of the emergency department reserved for suspected COVID cases," the spokeswoman said.
"A positive COVID-19 result was received on the evening of Sunday 10 January and the patient was transferred to Westmead Hospital for treatment.
"Investigations are under way to assess potential close contacts, including staff and patients. Anyone determined to be at risk of possible exposure is being contacted by the Public Health Unit and health advice provided."
The spokeswoman said the deep cleaning was expected to be completed by 9am. GPs who contacted Mount Druitt Hospital this morning were advised to send patients to Blacktown.
Doctors, nurses and security personnel have been available in a separate care space for any patients who presented directly to the emergency department.
Dr Chant said it was crucial more testing was conducted.
“It is essential at this time that we strive for consistently over 25,000 tests and I would like to see more approaching 30,000 test as we push to get no community transmission,” Dr Chant said.
“I would like to enlist the support of general practitioners across the state. We know general practitioners are important often as pillars of the community, but also in the day-to-day practice. So, please, encourage all your patients to get tested if they're ringing up for advice, please ensure that they're advised to go and get tested with the most minimal of symptoms.”
She said it was particularly important in south-western and western Sydney, as a number of new exposure sites in those areas and Sydney’s inner west were publicised last night.
As Queensland entered the final hours of Brisbane's three-day lockdown on Monday morning, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced there had been another day without a locally acquired case in the state.
More than 2.3 million south-east Queensland residents were locked down on Friday after a cleaner who worked in one of Brisbane’s hotel quarantine facilities was diagnosed with the particularly infectious B117 coronavirus strain.
However, none of the woman's more than 100 close contacts have yet tested positive.
While Brisbane's lockdown will lift at 6pm AEST, masks will remain mandatory in the city and its surrounds for at least another 10 days, along with restrictions on gatherings.
There were no new local cases reported in Victoria on Monday, for the fifth consecutive day. The state recorded one new case in hotel quarantine.
As Sydney's northern beaches emerged from its lockdown - the COVID-19 outbreak which prompted Victoria's border closure on January 1 - Ms Berejiklian on Sunday urged other state premiers to not make hasty decisions.
In a veiled swipe at Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, Ms Berejiklian said states needed to "talk to us in NSW before you close the border because we can explain to you the situation that's going on".
Her comments come as Victorians stranded in NSW hope to learn soon when they will be allowed to return home.
Victoria disputed Ms Berejiklian's suggestions that it did not inform NSW before the decision was made, and said NSW health authorities and ministers had been kept up to date.
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Natassia is the education reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.
Mary Ward is a health reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.
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2021-01-11 00:17:00Z
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