There has been one more confirmed case of COVID-19 in the Illawarra Shoalhaven over the weekend.
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There's now 116 cases across the health district, with three patients being cared for in Wollongong Hospital, and one in Shoalhaven Hospital.
The majority (24 patients) are in the 60 to 69 year age group.
Last week on Monday, April 6, the figures revealed a jump in 11 cases over the previous weekend - to 114 in total. Then on Tuesday April 7, there was one more case recorded taking the total to 115, where it stayed for several days.
Local health authorities are yet to release details on how many of these patients have recovered.
In the midday update from NSW Health today, Health Minister Brad Hazzard said there had been nine new cases across the state to 8pm Sunday - taking the overall number of cases in NSW to 2863. Thirty patients are in intensive care units at hospitals statewide - with 21 on ventilators.
"We are moving in the right direction but we still have a lot more to do, no-one should think we should slacken off," he said.
Sadly there were two new deaths since Saturday evening - a 74-year-old woman who died at John Hunter Hospital and a 79-year old man who died at Northern Beaches Hospital - both were passengers on the Ruby Princess. It brings the total number of deaths in NSW to 26.
Mr Hazzard said 2603 COVID-19 tests had been undertaken in the last 24 hours - and a total of 144,380 tests since the COVID threat started. So far around 7000 residents in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District have been tested.
He also urged staff working in aged care facilities to stay home if sick - citing an example of a worker at a Sydney facility who'd gone to work for six days straight despite having symptoms of illness.
"If you're working in an aged care facility, you're working with some of the most vulnerable people in the community - please don't go to work if you're sick," he said.
Meanwhile NSW Health issued a statement over the weekend reminding parents that alcohol-based hand sanitiser was dangerous if ingested, particularly for children.
The advice comes due to the NSW Poisons Information Centre receiving a spike in the number of calls due to hand sanitiser exposure incidents, mostly by babies and young children ingesting it at home.
The centre's senior poisons specialist Genevieve Adamo said even a small amount could be harmful for young children and babies.
"Hand sanitiser products should be stored safely and out of reach of children. When they are used by young children it should be under the supervision of an adult. Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is also a safe and effective option to help combat COVID-19," Ms Adamo said.
For advice on possible poisoning, please contact the 24 hour Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.
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