The number of coronavirus cases in NSW has jumped above 300, with close to 50 cases believed to be locally transmitted.
Meanwhile, authorities across some 20 state government agencies have shifted to the Rural Fire Service NSW headquarters in order to liaise more effectively.
NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant told reporters on Thursday there were 307 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, up from 267 on Wednesday.
Of this number, almost 130 were acquired overseas, including recent returnees from virus-hit areas in Europe, the UK and the US.
Some 70 cases remain under investigation.
Dr Chant said the initial precautionary approach of hospitalising all confirmed COVID-19 cases had been abandoned as cases rise.
“It’s reassuring that many of our cases continue to be mild with currently six patients in intensive care units. Many of our patients are being managed in the community and being managed at home and we are only admitting patients now that require hospital care,” Dr Chant said.
“We are following up and we are working in a whole-of-government way to ensure that people are doing the right thing.”
Premier Gladys Berejiklian thanked NSW residents for adhering to new social distancing regulations, alongside the limitation of outdoor gatherings to fewer than 500 people and indoor to fewer than 100.
She said she had brought the state agencies into the RFS headquarters – including police, health, transport and education – in order to integrate responses to COVID-19.
“What you see here is the complete integration of police, health, education, transport and many other government agencies working together to provide safety to our citizens but also important information in a timely way,” Ms Berejiklian told reporters on Thursday.
“All of our experts in this room are coordinating a whole-of-government response (and) will have that data information at their fingertips.”
NSW Health on Wednesday said an 86-year-old man previously confirmed to have COVID-19 died on Tuesday night in a Sydney hospital, taking the state’s toll to five.
NSW schools will remain open but there’ll be no assemblies, with strict bans on sick students and teachers. Regular hand washing will be enforced.
Ms Berejiklian says there’s “no rationale” for closing schools, with health experts advising they should remain open despite the decision of UK authorities to close schools after this week.
Universities are suspending face-to-face classes and businesses are urging staff to avoid the office. A number of church and mosque services have also been suspended.
Ms Berejiklian also said NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes was looking at lifting regulations preventing 24-hour deliveries of stock to supermarkets amid panic-buying.
“I live near a supermarket. If some of us have to put up with trucks delivering goods in the middle of the night, so be it,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Meanwhile, Dr Chant said a March 14 event between the University of Sydney and University of Queensland’s rugby clubs in Sydney was under the microscope.
“All people who attended this event are considered close contacts of a confirmed case and we ask that any attendees immediately self-isolate,” Dr Chant said.
AAP
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