NSW Health has confirmed an elderly man who tested positive for COVID-19 died in a Sydney hospital, making him the third person with coronavirus to die in Australia.
The health department confirmed the 82-year-old man was from the same aged care facility in Sydney's north where another resident, a 95-year-old woman, died on Tuesday night.
Both residents at the Dorothy Henderson Lodge in Macquarie Park tested positive for the virus after coming in contact with an aged care worker and began developing respiratory problems.
The man died in hospital overnight and Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant passed on her sympathies to his family.
The provider for the nursing home, BaptistCare, said it was "extremely saddened" by the death.
"I have just recently spoken with the family and shared my condolences," BaptistCare chief executive Ross Low said.
"As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for the family and for us all.
"While we continue to take advice and guidance from NSW Health, the BaptistCare team are giving every effort to support and care for the residents, family and staff of Dorothy Henderson Lodge."
It said there were no new cases at the facility and that daily reviews of infection control procedures were in place.
More confirmed cases
NSW Health also confirmed the number of cases of COVID-19 in the state rose to 38 as of Sunday morning and that almost 500 cases were still under investigation.
On Sunday it said a female healthcare worker in her 30s at Ryde Hospital tested positive for the virus.
The health department said she was in contact with a patient who tested positive at the Macquarie Park aged care facility.
On Thursday parents and children were tested after a group of 17 children from the Banksia Cottage, at Macquarie University campus, visited the nearby Dorothy Henderson Lodge home on February 24.
Sixty-nine staff and students from the nearby Epping Boys High School were also told to self-isolate for 14 days after a student tested positive for the virus.
The school was closed on Friday and the NSW Department of Education said it would reopen on Monday after being thoroughly cleaned.
A woman in her 50s who was in contact with another previously confirmed case was also added to the total number in NSW.
Last night, a man in his 60s who recently returned from Italy tested positive and a man in his 40s who was a known close contact of another confirmed case tested positive for the virus.
The latter travelled on two domestic flights between Sydney and Canberra on February 28 — QF1509 and VA651.
As of 7:00pm, there were 79 cases of COVID-19 across the country, which included two Australian Defence Force (ADF) members.
