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NSW COVID-19 cases increase by one, found within hotel quarantine

NSW health authorities has urged people to remain vigilant as virus rules are wound back further.

NSW health authorities has urged people to remain vigilant as virus rules are wound back further. Photo: AAP

One new case of coronavirus was found in NSW in the 24 hours to 8:00pm last night, health authorities confirm.

The new case is an overseas traveller who is confined to hotel quarantine.

Today is the fourth day this week that there have been zero locally caught cases of coronavirus in NSW.

There were no locally caught cases found during Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday’s reporting periods.

However, lower than usual testing numbers were flagged as a possible reason by authorities in NSW.

12,285 swabs were taken yesterday, down slightly from Thursday’s total of 13,868, NSW Health said.

Health authorities and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian have stressed the importance of daily testing totals remaining high so the state can continue to manage the pandemic.

Today in a statement, NSW Health acknowledged testing numbers have declined in recent weeks.

“Please come forward for testing right away if you have a runny nose or scratchy throat, cough, fever or other symptoms that could be COVID-19,” the statement read.

“This is especially important in south-west Sydney.”

It comes as Bondi lifeguards announced they would no longer be performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation amid coronavirus infections fears.

Today was the launch of the 2020-2021 surf life saving season at North Bondi beach, the backdrop of the reality TV show Bondi Rescue.

The head of lifesaving at North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club Eloise Starr said prohibiting mouth-to-mouth was a health and safety policy adopted by clubs nationwide.

“That has now been removed and we will just be completing CPR with chest compressions,” she said.

“It just means we are removing the two breaths that we would have been providing previously and we will just use the compressions and also the defibrillator.”

She said medical professionals “do believe that rescue breaths aren’t required” but that surf life savers would have oxygen that can be provided in times of need.

Three new cases in Queensland

Queensland has recorded three new cases of coronavirus overnight, leaving a total of seven active cases across the state.

Two cases are crew members of an international ship who have been transferred to hospital, and the other is a person who has arrived from overseas and is now in quarantine.

It comes as restrictions were eased in nursing homes and aged care facilities across Brisbane, Ipswich and Logan yesterday.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said Queenslanders should be proud of their efforts.

“Grandmas and Grandads [will be] getting visitors over the weekend and I wish them all the best,” Mr Miles said.

“We’ve also opened up our hospitals and our aged care centres and I know there’ll be lots of very happy older Queenslanders today.”

Restrictions on private gatherings have also been eased this weekend, with up to 30 people now allowed.

As of yesterday, ACT residents were also allowed to enter Queensland without having to quarantine, provided they flew into the state and had not recently been to a hotspot.

From next Thursday, more restrictions will be lifted across Queensland:

The one person per 4 square metre rule for outdoor public spaces changes to one person per 2 square metres. This means pubs and cafes can have more customers in outdoor areas.
More people will be allowed at sports carnivals and end-of-year school events up to 1,000 people with a COVID-Safe checklist
Stadiums can use up to 75 per cent of their capacity, up from 50 per cent.

Residents in the New South Wales local government areas of Glen Innes, Byron Bay, Ballina, Richmond Valley and Lismore will also be allowed to enter Queensland from next Thursday.

Queenslanders will also be able to visit those localities without having to quarantine upon their return.

-ABC

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