NSW latest Covid-19 update as at 17 May

NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

Two new cases were acquired overseas in the same period, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,371.

There were 10,790 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 12,203.  

NSW Health administered 44,283 vaccines during the week ending Sunday 16 May, including 18,345 at the vaccination centre in Sydney Olympic Park.

The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 926,242, with 280,135 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 646,107 administered by Commonwealth Government providers including GPs to 11:59pm on Saturday 15 May 2021.

CasesCount
Confirmed cases (including interstate residents in NSW health care facilities) 5,371
Deaths (in NSW from confirmed cases) 56
Total tests carried out 5,874,705
Total vaccinations administered in NSW926,242

The temporary COVID-safe measures in place for the Greater Sydney area have now ended. This means limits have been removed on the number of guests allowed to visit private households. Drinking while standing at indoor venues, group singing indoors, and dancing at nightclubs are allowed again.

Masks are no longer compulsory on public transport or for customer-facing staff in hospitality venues, however NSW Health continues to strongly encourage their use on public transport and in other settings where physical distancing is not possible.

Despite extensive, ongoing investigations into the source of the two recent locally acquired cases in the eastern suburbs, NSW Health has not yet identified how the initial case was exposed to the virus.

As these two locally acquired cases have shown, COVID-19 may re-emerge in the community at any time. It is important that we all continue to take practical measures to stay COVID-safe, including always using QR codes to check in to and out of venues, getting tested for COVID-19 and staying home if even mild symptoms appear, and practising good hand hygiene.

There are more than 300 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW. To find your nearest clinic, visit COVID-19 clinics or contact your GP.

NSW Health is treating 70 COVID-19 cases, one of whom is in intensive care and being ventilated. Most cases (97 per cent) are being treated in non-acute, out-of-hospital care, including returned travellers in the Special Health Accommodation.

Likely source of confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW

Likely source of infectionCases past 24 hours*Cases past 7 days**All cases
Overseas 2213,185
Interstate 0090
Locally acquired – linked to known case or cluster 001,645
Locally acquired – no links to known case or cluster00450
Locally acquired – investigation ongoing 001
Under initial investigation000
Total 2215,371

Note: Case counts reported for a particular day may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case review.

*notified from 8pm 15 May 2021 to 8pm 16 May 2021

**from 8pm 10 May 2021 to 8pm 16 May 2021

Returned travellers in hotel quarantine to date

Since 29 March 2020Count
Symptomatic travellers tested 13,066
Found positive 261
Since 30 June 2020Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 2 104,757
Found positive681
From 15 May 2020 to 12 January 2021Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 1079,623
Found positive182
Since 13 January 2021Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 12*36,715
Found positive 41

* Testing previously carried out on day 10 is now carried out on day 12.

COVID-19 vaccination update

COVID-19 vaccination doses administered in NSWDoses past seven days*All doses
NSW Health – first doses36,712 195,172
NSW Health – second doses 7,57184,963
Total 44,283 280,135

*notified from 10 May 2021 to 8pm 16 May 2021

Note: NSW Health’s vaccination clinics generally operate Monday to Friday. Therefore, there may be limited or no vaccines administered on weekend days and public holidays due to planned closures.

/Public Release. View in full here.