NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says anyone with symptoms, or concerned they have COVID-19, should come forward and get tested.
The state is ramping up its coronavirus testing, with plans to check more than 8000 people a day, as it reported seven new cases of the virus on Friday.
“Anybody across the state, if you have symptoms, if you’re worried you have COVID-19, please come forward and get tested,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We want to see the number of tests go up above 8000 a day. As we consider easing restrictions, we need to have more tests.”
Previously, testing was available to anyone within about a dozen outbreak centres who suspected symptoms, as well as anyone who was deemed high risk after a full history assessment completed by a GP.
More than 7300 tests were completed on Thursday, with seven new cases of COVID-19 reported. The total number of confirmed cases in NSW is 2982.
It comes as the state’s COVID-19 death toll reached 34 after a fourth resident at Anglicare’s Newmarch House in Caddens died.
NSW Health confirmed the 79-year-old woman died early on Thursday.
Some 44 people at the western Sydney facility – 29 residents and 15 staff – have been infected with COVID-19.
On Thursday night, Anglicare held an online meeting for residents and families with representatives from NSW Health, the federal Department of Health, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner and the Older Persons Advocacy Network.
Afterward, the organisation’s chief executive, Grant Millard, flagged that there could be a long road ahead for Newmarch House.
“Given the experience from other aged care sites that have had an outbreak of COVID-19, it’s very likely we will be dealing with this for around 50 days,” Mr Millard said.
With 55 Newmarch House staff in isolation, the federal government has sent a “surge workforce”, including an emergency response team, to the home.
Ms Berejiklian also said the NSW Government would contribute an extra $73 million in funding to extend mental health services during the coronavirus pandemic.
-with AAP
