Warning as Covid-19 cases rise in NSW

A health warning has been issued for a rise in Covid-19 cases and those with symptoms have been encouraged to “stay home”.

NSW has recorded a fresh spike in the number of Covid-19 cases throughout the state as the country braces for an “eighth” wave.

Cases in all states and territories have been on the rise in recent weeks, with those in NSW susceptible to the effects of Covid-19 being encouraged to stay home.

NSW Health issued a health warning on Thursday, confirming cases had increased in the community and transmission remained rife.

Nearly four years on from the first reports of Covid-19 in Australia, NSW Health has issued a warning for a rise in the number of cases. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

“Please stay home if you have any cold or flu symptoms,” NSW Health posted on X, formerly Twitter.

“Staying home helps stop the spread of illness and protects others, including people who are at higher risk of severe illness.”

NSW Health Pathology virologist and infectious diseases physician Dominic Dwyer said health departments across the state had been noticing more positive cases, supporting reports of a “new wave” of Covid-19.

There were 6550 new cases of Covid-19 reported across the country over the last week, with the Department of Health and Aged Care confirming a reported average of 936 cases per day.

There is no mandatory testing, or rules about reporting testing, enforced in Australia.

Professor Dwyer said there had been a significant rise in positive cases tested at public hospitals in recent weeks.

“PCR testing in NSW Health Pathology, which services the public hospitals throughout NSW, showed that 8.6 per cent of PCRs were positive for SARS-CoV-2 last week,” he said.

He said cases of SARS-CoV-2 were being monitored via testing, adding the size and length of the wave was “unknown” at present.

“This wave reinforces the importance of Covid-19 booster vaccinations,” he added.

A fresh Covid-19 wave threatens NSW following a warning in the rise of cases across the state. Photo: David Swift.

Chief medical officer Paul Kelly confirmed in late October that Covid-19 management would remain consistent, with no major changes planned.

“Targeted surveillance and monitoring of Covid-19 will be maintained through well-established national and sentinel surveillance programs,” Professor Kelly said.

NSW Health ceased releasing a weekly Covid-19 update on their website and social media pages on October 20, citing data was best displayed in a fortnightly respiratory report detailing emergency department presentations.

According to their latest fortnightly data released on Saturday, levels of the disease were moderate and increasing, with high levels of young children and people aged 65 years or older presenting to emergency departments.