Covid-19 Update: GPs urged to refer patients

THE Premier has urged general practitioners throughout New South Wales to refer patients, with even the mildest of symptoms, for testing as the state “mops up” from the latest Covid-19 outbreak.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said there were only three new cases overnight, but ensuring all community chains of transmission have been identified is critical.

“New South Wales under the circumstances is doing relatively well, but we are in the phase of mopping up,” said the Premier.

Dr Kerry Chant, NSW Chief Medical Officer, said testing numbers needed to be higher to ensure any lingering community chains of infection were detected.

“I’d like to make a call out to general practitioners across the state…encourage your patients to get tested, with even the most minimal of symptoms,” said Dr Chant.

In the last 24 hours in NSW:

• Three new locally acquired cases have been identified – a woman and man in their 30s and a child who were close contacts to a confirmed case.
• Eight overseas visitors in hotel quarantine have been identified.
• There were 18,570 tests conducted, with 23,000 the previous day. Dr Chant has said there needs to be 25,000 to 30,000 tests per day to ensure community transmission is detected.
• There have been 4,829 cases of Covid-19 in NSW to date.

The Mt Druitt emergency department was closed during the weekend, following a man presenting who had covid-19, but will be reopened today.

For a list of venues flagged by NSW Health as possible transmission points for Covid-19 visit the NSW Health website.