Sydney (Tribune International, NSW Health Release, 20 Aug 2020): Five new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, bringing the total number of cases in NSW to 3,782.
| Confirmed cases (incl. interstate residents in NSW health care facilities) | 3,782 |
| Deaths (in NSW from confirmed cases) | 54 |
| Total tests carried out | 1,905, 703 |
There were 28,767 tests reported in the 24-hour reporting period, compared with 19,414 in the previous 24 hours.
Of the five new cases reported to 8pm last night
- Two are returned overseas travellers in hotel quarantine.
- Three, all located in South Western Sydney, are locally acquired, including:
- One who is a household contact of a previously reported case associated with the July funerals cluster, bringing that cluster to 74 cases.
- One case is an outpatient at Liverpool Hospital, as mentioned in yesterday’s media release. Links to other cases and the source of infection are being investigated.
- One case whose source is under investigation.
If you have any cold or flu-like symptoms at all, assume it’s COVID-19 until proven otherwise – isolate and get tested right away; don’t delay.
It is vital to maintain high rates of testing at this critical time, in order to find the source of these cases still under investigation. NSW Health is urging anyone with even the mildest of symptoms – including runny nose, sore throat, cough, or loss of taste and smell – to come forward for testing. It is the best way to protect your family, friends and the wider community.
For a list of locations associated with known cases and advice on testing and isolation, and areas identified for increased testing and surveillance, see: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates.
There are currently 111 COVID-19 cases being treated by NSW Health. There are eight COVID‑19 patients in intensive care and five are ventilated. 86 per cent of cases being treated by NSW Health are in non-acute, out-of-hospital care.
To help stop the spread of COVID-19:
- If you are unwell, stay in, get tested and isolate.
- Wash your hands regularly. Take hand sanitiser with you when you go out.
- Keep your distance. Leave 1.5 metres between yourself and others.
- Wear a mask in situations where you cannot physically distance.
A full list of COVID-19 testing clinics is available at the following link, or people can visit their GP: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/clinics.aspx.
Anyone directed to undertake a 14-day self-isolation period must stay in isolation for the full 14 days, even if they test negative during this time. Early testing may not detect an infection, and release from self-isolation based on a negative test could allow an infectious person to infect others in the community. People who are infected and develop symptoms will generally do so within 14 days of exposure.
Confirmed cases to date:
| By likely source of infection: | Count |
| Overseas | 2,059 |
| Interstate acquired | 88 |
| Locally acquired – contact of a confirmed case and/or in a known cluster | 1,251 |
| Locally acquired – contact not identified | 384 |
| Under investigation | 0 |
| Total | 3,782 |
Counts reported for a particular day may vary over time with ongoing enhanced surveillance activities.
Returned travellers in hotel quarantine to date:
| Since 29 March 2020: | Count |
| Symptomatic travellers tested | 4,573 |
| Found positive | 121 |
| Since 30 June 2020: | Count |
| Asymptomatic travellers screened at a day 2 | 14,770 |
| Found positive | 83 |
| Since 15 May 2020: | Count |
| Asymptomatic travellers screened at a day 10 | 28,143 |
| Found positive | 119 |
