The number of COVID-positive patients in NSW hospitals continues to decline, as the state records 34 deaths and 20,423 new cases and the state’s schoolchildren prepare to return to the classroom.
There were 2712 people with COVID-19 in hospital, down from 2762 on Saturday, and 189 patients in intensive care beds, down from 204. Since Wednesday, hospitalisations have decreased by 5.3 per cent and ICU cases have decreased by 13 per cent.
Of the 20,324 new positive cases reported to 8pm on Saturday, 13,620 were PCR tests and 6704 were rapid tests. NSW Health notes that the case numbers may be skewed by people reporting multiple positive rapid tests on different days, and through people getting PCR test in the same testing period.
Almost 33 per cent of people in NSW have received a booster vaccine shot.
Schools will receive rapid antigen tests to distribute to parents and students. Credit:Justin McManus
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet will hold a press conference on Sunday morning, with Education Minister Sarah Mitchell and Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant, to outline how schools will function when classes resume in coming days.
Schools will receive 6 million rapid antigen tests by Wednesday, and parents will collect supplies to test their children twice a week.
The surveillance testing approach, which includes school staff, will last for the first four weeks of term. Families will be able to choose which days they test their children.
Source: SMH
