For several weeks now, NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian has repeatedly said that the state is at a critical juncture in its fight against the virus, as a small yet persistent flurry of new infections have been detected across the state. Fears that Sydney could suffer a second wave similar to Melbourne’s have lingered, and while life has been allowed to continue relatively uninterrupted, daily updates have often featured a roll call of venues linked to new infections, including restaurants, pubs, gyms, hotels and casinos.
Today, however, people across NSW have a reason to feel optimistic, as just a single new case – the lowest figure since the beginning of July – was found from more than 32,500 tests, one of the highest daily testing tallies in the state since the crisis began.
Better yet, this newly diagnosed case, who was already self-isolating before becoming symptomatic, is linked to a known outbreak at Hornsby Hospital. This means there have been no new instances of community transmission recorded in the 24-hour reporting period, an import milestone in Sydney’s continued efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
The state’s health experts continue to urge caution with certain areas of Sydney remaining "areas of concern", but this is still a positive signal that the efforts of contact tracers are having a measurable impact on the threat in New South Wales.