Just released in the news today with the Government looking at rapid testing technology for certain industries:
The NSW COVID-19 outbreak has been declared a "national emergency" after the state recorded 136 new cases and another death.It is the highest number of daily new infections in the state since the Delta outbreak began last month. Chief health officer Kerry Chant said the situation in NSW, particularly in Sydney's south-west and western suburbs, was now regarded as a "national emergency" and called on the federal government to refocus the national vaccination strategy."I have advised the government today that this is a national emergency, and requires additional measures to reduce the case numbers," she said."I am concerned."Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the outbreak now had the potential to impact the entire nation as no border was "perfect" and the virus could "seep through"."If NSW can contain a virus and stay safe, our nation can."Ms Berejiklian said it was imperative that more people have their first dose of either vaccine immediately, particularly those who live in the south-west and western suburbs of Sydney. She said she would be raising the issue in the strongest terms at National Cabinet.Dr Chant said it was essential that vaccines were prioritised for people in south-western Sydney and parts of Western Sydney which have some of the lower levels of vaccination coverage. "My sense of urgency is absolute urgency."Of the new cases 77 were linked to a known case or cluster – 65 were household contacts and 12 were close contacts – and the source of infection for 59 cases was still under investigation. Fifty-three cases were infectious in the community while another 17 were in the community for part of their infectious period. The isolation status of 13 cases remains under investigation. An 89-year-old man has died after contracting the virus, becoming the state's 62nd COVID-19 fatality. The Premier said she could not see how the lockdown order could be lifted on July 30 as planned given how large the outbreak had become."[There is] no doubt that the numbers are not going in the direction we were hoping they would at this stage," Ms Berejiklian said."It is fairly apparent that we will not be close to next Friday."However, Ms Berejiklian said that the government aimed to provde an updated road map to get out of lockdown early next week as well as additional support for the people of south-western and Western Sydney. The NSW government is also expanding its ban on people leaving local government areas for work to Cumberland and Blacktown.Previously, it had applied to people in Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool.Dr Chant said the majority of cases were still from the Fairfield local government area and because of strict testing requirements in that area, the state's testing facilities were working at 100 per cent capacity. There were a record 86,620 tests performed in the 24 hours to 8:00pm yesterday. "We are starting to max out at that and what we have to weigh it against is the ability for people with symptoms to get diagnosed and get fast turnarounds," Dr Chant said. She said the government was working towards accessing new technology and introducing rapid point of care testing for some industries. There are now 137 COVID cases in hospital, with 32 patients in ICU and 14 of those on ventilators.
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