27 December 2021
Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital pathology has confirmed an additional 995 people were prematurely sent an SMS advising them their test was negative, when their true result was yet to be determined.
SydPath has apologised for the mistake and has contacted those affected.
It has advised people they will receive their accurate test results by tonight.
Yesterday, the same pathology service contacted 400 people to notify them they had received a negative Covid-19 test result when they were in fact positive.
Today, NSW recorded its first death linked to the Omicron variant of Covid-19 as hospitalisation figures in the state continue to climb.
NSW Health confirmed the death of a man in his 80s in Western Sydney, who was a resident of the Uniting Lilian Wells aged care facility in North Parramatta, where he contracted the infection.
He had two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and had underlying health conditions.
Another two deaths were recorded in the latest reporting period, a woman in her 90s and a man in his 80s, who were also fully-vaccinated but had underlying health problems.
The total number of patients admitted to hospital for treatment in NSW now stands at 520, with 55 in intensive care.
NSW Health said a majority of the cases in ICU were not Omicron-related.
""It's believed the bulk of cases in ICU are Delta, but genome sequencing is being conducted over the next week to confirm," said a spokesperson for NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard.
Another 6324 infections have been identified from 97,241 swabs - a significant drop from the seven-day average of about 145,000 tests.
The latest figures come after several Covid-19 restrictions were reintroduced in an attempt to curb soaring infection numbers, which have put "substantial pressure" on testing centres and furloughed over 2000 healthcare workers.
The arrival of the hyper-infectious Omicron variant of the virus triggered a backflip by the NSW government, which had relaxed many Covid-19-safe measures on 15 December.
Mask mandates returned on Friday, with face coverings made compulsory in all indoor non-residential settings, including for hospitality staff and in offices, unless eating or drinking.
Today, mandatory QR code check-ins came back force at certain premises in the state.
Hospitality venues including pubs, restaurants and clubs will again be subjected to a maximum one person per two square metres indoors until 27 January.
Density limits for outdoors remain the same.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet called these "modest" and "cautious" changes.
The recent spike in cases is again battering the hospitality sector.
Infected staff or the hundreds in isolation have forced many businesses to close during what should be one of their busiest trading periods.
'All going to get Omicron'
The state government yesterday urged people to only get tested if they have symptoms, are identified as close contacts, or as part of their travel requirements.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said wait times for Covid-19 test results had ballooned to 48 to 72 hours, with many people waiting even longer than that to get a result.
"If you're not getting results until three or four days, which is the case, it may well be that you have developed a positivity or positive viral response anyway and you wouldn't know it," he said.
Hazard said yesterday it was likely every person in NSW and the country would contract Omicron.
"And if we're all going to get Omicron, the best way to face it is when we have full vaccination including our booster," Hazzard said.
Shadow Health Minister Ryan Park said the Premier was not showing any leadership in "holding up his hands and saying everyone is going to get Omicron".
He said it did not make sense for the state government to simply tell people not to get tested.
"Where is the plan for our hospitals, where is the plan for more testing clinics?" Park said.
"Where is the plan to increase our vaccination hubs and where is the plan to ensure our hospitals have enough staff?"
Last week, the NSW government announced free testing kits would be provided, but no date has been given for their distribution.
-ABC
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Yours sincerely
Frank Short
