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Coronavirus: Nepean Blue Mountains cases double in 72 hours

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Nepean Blue Mountains Local District doubled in 72 hours, according to the latest available health data.

Neapean Hospital. Picture: Monique Harmer
Neapean Hospital. Picture: Monique Harmer

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District has doubled since Sunday, according to the latest available health data.

NSW Health figures show the local health district had 50 confirmed COVID-19 cases at 8pm Wednesday, jumping from 22 confirmed cases at 8pm Sunday.

The Penrith and Blue Mountains local government areas had 25 and 12 cases respectively.

This includes a St Clair primary school student who NSW Health yesterday confirmed had been infected with the respiratory virus.

NSW Health advised that the Blackwell Public School student was not infectious while at school.

There are four coronavirus testing clinics in the Nepean Blue Mountains Local District (NBMLHD). Picture: NBMLHD website
There are four coronavirus testing clinics in the Nepean Blue Mountains Local District (NBMLHD). Picture: NBMLHD website

There have been 4147 tests conducted in the local health district, as at 8pm Wednesday.

Of those, 1.21 percent have returned positive results, representing 12.79 cases for every 100,000 residents in the local health district.

Nepean has the seventh-highest number of confirmed cases of the state’s total 15 local health districts, and has also conducted the seventh-highest number of COVID-19 tests.

South Eastern Sydney has the highest number of cases, with 319 confirmed. The Far West is the only NSW local health district to not record a case. A total of 90 tests have been conducted, however.

The number of COVID-19 cases in NSW is 1219, with 10 people in intensive care units.

Pictured is Crime & Trauma Cleaning managing director Mark Ellis. The cleaning company now goes around cleaning up after coronavirus outbreaks. Picture: Steve Pohlner
Pictured is Crime & Trauma Cleaning managing director Mark Ellis. The cleaning company now goes around cleaning up after coronavirus outbreaks. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Four coronavirus fever clinics are open in the local health district.

Three are open seven days, at Katoomba Hospital (9am to 5pm), Lithgow Hospital (10am to 3pm) and Nepean Hospital (10.30am to 6.30pm).

A mobile van clinic is operating 10am to 3pm Monday to Friday at Hawkesbury Hospital.

It opened on March 16 as Katoomba High School — also within the local health district — was reopened after a forced school shutdown over coronavirus fears the previous Friday.

The coronavirus testing clinic on the grounds of Katoomba Hospital is open seven days. Picture: Supplied
The coronavirus testing clinic on the grounds of Katoomba Hospital is open seven days. Picture: Supplied

These clinics are for people who have: cold/flu-like symptoms AND returned from overseas travel in the past 14 days; or cold/flu-like symptoms AND had direct contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.

Coronavirus clinics are accessed from outside the hospitals.

Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District has been contacted for comment.

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/thebluemountainsnews/coronavirus-nepean-blue-mountains-cases-double-in-72-hours/news-story/91657f5c2ed2786d58c1749fd2f53596