Health authorities have confirmed a total of 22 people in the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District have tested positive to Coronavirus, as of Sunday night.
More than 3,000 people have tested negative for COVID-19.
The news comes as NSW Health confirms a total of 818 people in New South Wales have been diagnosed with the virus.
A female passenger in her 70s who was transported directly to hospital from the Ruby Princess cruise ship, which docked in Sydney on March 19, passed away in hospital this morning. This patient was one of the initial three passengers who were confirmed to be COVID-19 positive following testing of retained specimens from on-board the Ruby Princess.
There have been 107 cases diagnosed in NSW from the Ruby Princess and 26 cases interstate. No cases of COVID-19 had been identified by doctors on board before docking. Five people who had displayed influenza-like illness were tested in Wellington, New Zealand on March 14, and all were negative for COVID-19.
There are currently 12 COVID-19 cases in our Intensive Care Units and of those cases, eight require ventilators at this stage.
There are two cases of COVID-19 in teachers at Normanhurst West Public School in Thornleigh confirmed on March 21 and 23. Close contacts at the school have been identified and are being contacted placed in self-isolation. The school will remain closed today.
There are 13 cases in NSW linked to the Ovation of the Seas which docked in Sydney on March 18, and seven cases diagnosed in NSW who were on-board the cruise Voyager of the Seas which disembarked on March 18.
There have been a further three positive cases at Dorothy Henderson Lodge, bringing to a total of 11 residents and five staff testing positive for COVID-19.
There has been one additional case from a University of Sydney rugby match on March 14. The second case resides in the ACT and ACT Health are conducting the interviews and contact tracing. The second case had been identified as a close contact of the first, and had been in self-isolation.
Of the 818 confirmed cases in New South Wales, 425 were acquired overseas. 174 were locally acquired via a confirmed case or known cluster, while 72 were locally acquired with the source unknown. 147 remain under investigation.
A full list of Coronavirus testing clinics can be found here.Â
Troy Dodds is the Weekender’s Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.
