19 November 2020

NSW recorded no new cases of locally acquired COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Five cases were reported in overseas travellers in hotel quarantine. This brings the total number of cases in NSW to 4,325 since the start of the pandemic.

CasesCount
Confirmed cases (including interstate residents in NSW health care facilities) 4,325
Deaths (in NSW from confirmed cases) 55
Total tests carried out 3,336,876

There were 20,160 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with 17,047 in the previous 24 hours.

NSW Health is treating 64 COVID-19 cases, none of whom are in intensive care. Most cases – 97 per cent – are being treated by NSW Health in non-acute, out-of-hospital care.

Today the NSW Government has introduced important new public health measures that will help keep residents in NSW, and other parts of Australia, healthy and safe, and also assist South Australia to contain their new COVID-19 cases.

NSW Health is asking people coming to NSW from South Australia, by whatever mode of transport, to complete a declaration form to check if they have visited any of the venues of concern identified by the South Australian authorities and provide contact details if follow-up is required. This also applies people who have been in South Australia within the past 14 days.

Anyone who has been in South Australia since Friday 6 November should regularly monitor the SA Health alert page for venues of concern and follow the advice of SA Health. They must immediately self-isolate if they have been to any venues where this is advised, and get tested if even the mildest of symptoms appear.

Travellers who are not NSW residents who have visited any of these venues will not be permitted to travel to NSW until the 14-day period has elapsed. Non-residents wishing to transit through NSW will be allowed to do so, provided they take the most direct route and can do so in a way that poses no risk to others.

The form will be distributed to South Australian travellers arriving at NSW transport hubs such as airports, and in areas such as Broken Hill which is a high-traffic location. Travellers are asked to fill in the form within the 24-hour period before they arrive in NSW, and may be asked to produce their declaration form.

The details provided through the form will be important for NSW contact tracing efforts, which have been shown to play a vital role in limiting the spread of COVID-19.

NSW Health continues to advise NSW residents to defer non-essential travel to Adelaide, while people from Adelaide should defer non-essential travel to NSW.

Though there have been no new locally acquired cases in NSW for the past 12 days, in the past cases have appeared following several days without cases because of transmission among people with mild or no symptoms. If people don’t come forward for testing, outbreaks can easily be missed early on when they can be more readily controlled.

There are more than 300 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW. To find your nearest clinic visit COVID-19 testing clinics or contact your GP. Most people receive their test results within 24 hours.

To help stop the spread of COVID-19:

  • If you are unwell, get tested and isolate right away – don’t delay.
  • 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 when using public transport, rideshares and taxis, and in shops, places of worship and other places where you can’t physically distance. When taking taxis or rideshares, commuters should also sit in the back.

Likely source of confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW

Likely source of infection
Cases past 24 hours*Cases past 7 days**All cases
Overseas 5322,365
Interstate 0090
Locally acquired – contact of a confirmed case and/or in a known cluster 001,475***
Locally acquired – source not identified 00395
Total5324,325

Note: Case counts reported for a particular day may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case review.
*notified from 8pm 17 November 2020 to 8pm 18 November 2020
**from 8pm 12 November 2020 to 8pm 18 November 2020
*** includes an old case that was reported this week, whose onset was likely earlier in October

Returned travellers in hotel quarantine to date

Since 29 March 2020Count
Symptomatic travellers tested 6,959
Found positive 153
Since 30 June 2020Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 2 47,909
Found positive264
Since 15 May 2020Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 1060,038
Found positive14