The number of active COVID cases in the Southern NSW Local Health District has more than doubled in just a few days.
On January 3rd the number sat at 1009 – today it is 2019.
That includes 355 new cases detected in the 24 hours to 8pm Thursday night – 58 in the Bega Valley and 19 in the Eurobodalla.
There are nine COVID patients in the health district’s hospitals, two of them in intensive care.
New cases in the Bega Valley and Eurobodalla are among 38,625 new cases of COVID-19 across NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 380,361.
There are currently 1,738 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospitals throughout the state, with 134 people in intensive care, 33 of whom require ventilation
The 24 hours also saw the COVID-related deaths of 11 people – six men and five women aged in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Three people were from northern NSW, three were from south eastern Sydney, one was from western Sydney, one was from south western Sydney, one was from northern Sydney, one was from Port Stephens and one was from the Lake Macquarie area.
But with 129 additional people hospitalised with COVID in just one day, health officials are being warned hospitalisations in the state caused by the virus could exceed 4500 within the next month.
And general practitioners are warning the health system is at breaking point.
The Royal Australian College of GP’s is calling for formal systems to be established, for people to self-report positive rapid antigen test results.
President Karen Price said practitioners needed more support, in order to properly treat COVID patients.
