More than 200 South Western Sydney Local Health District residents have now tested positive to Covid-19.
At 8pm last night, Sunday, April 5, the local figure stood at 208, with 2,637 having tested positive across NSW.
Locally, 82 people have so far tested positive in the local government area of Canterbury-Bankstown, 34 in Liverpool, 33 in Camden, 30 in Campbelltown, 21 in Fairfield and four in Wollondilly Shire.
Yesterday two people died from the coronavirus in Liverpool Hospital (pictured below), an 86 year old man from an aged care facility in Bankstown, and an 85 year old man who was a close contact of another confirmed case.
South Western Sydney Local Health District says it’s expanding the capacity of local health services, including intensive care, to meet expected demand from Covid-19.
“Our extensive preparations are based on the latest health and medical advice and build on years of pandemic planning for our community in consultation with the State and Federal governments,’’ says a District spokesperson
“As part of our response, we are working with clinicians to re-schedule some non-urgent surgery to increase our intensive care capacity.
“This will also allow our staff in the operating theatres to undertake more specialised training so they can be redeployed to work in intensive care or other critical care areas.
“A key component of these plans is ensuring that patients with the highest clinical urgency continue to be prioritised.
“NSW Health Covid-19 and flu assessment clinics are up and running right across the state.
“Our five Covid-19 Clinics across south western Sydney are continuing to provide testing for people who have respiratory symptoms or fever and who are at risk of Covid-19.’’
The clinics are open from 10am to 5.30pm, seven days a week, and no appointment is necessary.
The clinics are located at:
- Campbelltown Hospital, Parkside Crescent
- Liverpool Hospital, Elizabeth Street, 150 metres from the Emergency Department entrance
- Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, Eldridge Road, in the Allied Health Outpatient Building, 25 metres to the right of the hospital’s front entrance
- Fairfield Hospital, Prairie Vale Road, opposite the Emergency Department entrance Bowral & District Hospital, Ascot Street, in the outpatients’ clinic.
The criteria for testing at the clinics has been expanded. Testing is recommended for anyone with fever, or history of fever or flu-like symptoms who meets one or more of the following criteria:
- has been in close contact in the 14 days prior to illness onset with a confirmed case; travelled internationally in the 14 days prior to illness onset
- a cruise ship passenger or crew member who travelled in the 14 days prior to illness onset
- a healthcare worker
- an aged care or other residential care worker
- is based in an area where there is a cluster of cases.
“It is also important to note that the majority of confirmed cases of Covid-19 will have mild symptoms and be able to self-isolate at home without the need for hospitalisation,’’ the spokesperson said.
Last month, the NSW Government announced a $2.3 billion health boost and economic stimulus package to help tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
NSW Health will receive $700 million to assist in more than doubling ICU capacity, preparing for additional Covid-19 testing, purchasing additional ventilators and medical equipment, establishing acute respiratory clinics and bringing forward elective surgeries to private hospitals.
