New South Wales, Australia Reports Zero Community Infections After 76 Days

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] In New South Wales (NSW), Australia, the number of new community COVID-19 cases has reached zero for the first time in two months and fifteen days.

According to the Australian daily Sydney Morning Herald on the 22nd (local time), NSW health authorities announced that the two new COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours were both arrivals from overseas who were quarantined in hotels. This marks the first time in 76 days since July 8 that no new community transmission cases have been reported.

Additionally, since the 8th, NSW has not recorded any new cases with unknown sources of infection for two consecutive weeks.

However, despite the positive outcome of no community transmission cases, concerns remain high over the decline in virus testing rates.

This is because the number of tests conducted in the past 24 hours was only 7,616, the lowest since June 14.

Gladys Berejiklian, Premier of NSW, stated, "Only by increasing virus testing rates can we continuously eradicate COVID-19," urging that tens of thousands of tests be maintained daily.

The NSW Department of Health said, "To suppress virus spread, more than 20,000 tests per day are necessary," and encouraged people to actively get tested.