17 February 2021

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

Four new cases were acquired overseas, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 4,954.

There were 23,463 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day's total of 12,336.

CasesCount
Confirmed cases (incl. interstate residents in NSW health care facilities) 4,954
Deaths (in NSW from confirmed cases) 56
Total tests carried out 4,846,208

NSW Health thanks the community for coming forward for testing and continues to urge people to get tested with even the mildest of symptoms.

Today marks a record 31 days with no reported locally acquired cases in NSW and we would like to thank the community for their vigilance and observance of public health advice on matters including social distancing and mask-wearing.

As there are cases of COVID-19 in Victoria and in New Zealand, and cases are being regularly detected among international arrivals to NSW, it is critical that everyone continues to practise COVID-safe behaviours by maintaining social distancing and good hygiene, as well as wearing masks on public transport.

NSW Health continues to strongly advise against non-essential travel to Victoria, and people subject to the restrictions in Victoria should not be travelling to NSW unless they are permitted to do so.

The five-day stay-at-home requirements in the order – applicable for anyone who arrived in NSW from Victoria since midnight on Friday 12 February – are currently due to end at 11.59pm tonight (Wednesday 17 February). Those subject to the order are permitted to leave their place of residence if they have a reasonable excuse. This includes 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.

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

People who have been in locations identified by the NZ Governments as places where 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.

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 26 COVID-19 cases, none of whom are in intensive care. Most cases (92 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

Likely source of infectionCases past 24 hours*Cases past 7 days**All cases
Overseas 4132,777
Interstate 0090
Locally acquired – linked to known case or cluster 001,642
Locally acquired – no links to known case or cluster00445
Locally acquired – investigation ongoing 000
Under initial investigation000
Total4134,954

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

*notified from 8pm 15 February 2021 to 8pm 16 February 2021
**from 8pm 10 February 2021 to 8pm 16 February 2021

Returned travellers in hotel quarantine to date

Since 29 March 2020Count
Symptomatic travellers tested 9,962
Found positive 194
Since 30 June 2020Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 2 75,024
Found positive480
From 15 May 2020 to 12 January 2021Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 1079,623
Found positive182
Since 13 January 2021Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 12*8,483
Found positive9

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

Today's press conference will be uploaded to the Press conferences page once available.