Dr Kerry Chant spoke to the media this morning with a COVID update.
‘In terms of our hospitals, we’ve currently got 2,816 People in hospital including 196 People in ICU, of whom 69 are ventilated.
‘We’ve had 15,091 positive test results returned and that includes 6,901 rapid antigen test and 8,190 Positive PCR tests. The positive PCR tests were returned from 48,481 tests. Now this is a lower case number that has to be interpreted with a bit of caution. We do see those lower testing rates over the weekend, but it is pleasing that when we look at a range of measures, our assessment indicates that the spread of COVID virus is slowing.
Situation is stabilising
Our situation is stabilising and whilst we expect to see a little bit of an uptick in transmission associated with schools going back, I just want to say that this can be mitigated by the actions of you as individuals.
Getting those boosters will help us they’ll also help us and have some effect on transmission by preventing you acquiring infection and passing it on. And then those simple actions that we’re going to need to pursue right through this year is by staying home if you have symptoms COVID symptoms get tested, and stay at home. Continuing to wear those masks indoors and just being careful about the environments you choose to.
In the Northern NSW Local Health District
To 8pm yesterday, 23 January, 564 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Northern NSW Local Health District, including 234 positive PCR tests and 330 positive rapid antigen tests (RAT).
Please note these RAT results may be from within the previous seven days, and there may be some cases included in these numbers where people have reported positive RATs on multiple days and/or where people have also had a positive PCR test during the same reporting period.
The list of positive results through the LGAs is:
• Ballina 33
• Byron 29
• Clarence Valley 48
• Kyogle 1
• Lismore 19
• Richmond Valley
• Tweed 96
There are 46 COVID-19 positive patients in hospital in Northern NSW, with five of these in ICU.
Northern NSW Local Health District also reported the death of two people aged in their 80s and 90s from COVID-19. One was from the Tweed Heads area and the other Lismore area.
For the most up-to-date COVID information visit nsw.gov.au
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