Another three staff members at the troubled Newmarch House nursing home in Caddens have been diagnosed with Coronavirus.
It comes as NSW Health continues to investigate the original source of infection at the nursing home and how the first aged care worker initially became exposed to the virus.
15 residents of Newmarch House have passed away after receiving positive COVID-19 tests.
NSW Chief Medical Officer Dr Kerry Chant confirmed one of the three new cases at Newmarch House was detected after 8pm last night and has not yet been included in official figures.
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In addition, a staffer from Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District has also tested positive to Coronavirus. However, Dr Chant said the staffer had not worked with patients while infectious.
Dr Chant said health authorities were trying to track down how the outbreak at the nursing home first started.
“We are trying to establish and trace back to the initial source,” Dr Chant said.
“We’re aware of the aged care worker who had symptoms and was positive. What we’re trying to confirm is what was her source of the infection. Did she acquire it in the community and bring it in, was she the index case, or was there someone preceding her associated with the facility.”
The aged care worker linked to the start of the outbreak did not work while showing symptoms.
NSW recorded three new Coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, from more than 5000 tests.
National Cabinet will meet today – the first of two meetings scheduled for this week – with the lifting of restrictions on the agenda, as well as a potential trans-Tasman bubble with New Zealand.
Troy Dodds
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.