Dire warning before New Year’s Eve

Revellers have been warned to take precautions during New Year’s Eve celebrations, including the world-famous Sydney fireworks, as Covid cases continue to rise.

NSW Health on Thursday asked residents to “keep your loved ones Covid safe” over the holiday period despite the complete relaxation of Covid-related rules statewide.

Covid positivity continued to rise prior to the holiday period, according to government data, particularly among young children and adults aged 17-49 years old.

“There was also an increase in influenza notifications in adolescents and young adults until December 16. Influenza test positivity was 5.2 per cent,” NSW Health said.

Cases of the respiratory illness RSV also increased in children aged 0-four, though presentations to the emergency department and PCR positivity were overall stable.

As a result, NSW Health is asking residents to entertain outdoors where possible, open windows, wash hands regularly, avoid sharing plates and to go home if sick.

States are preparing for the second New Year’s celebrations since the end of nationwide and state lockdowns in 2022 despite the continued Covid threat.

The data revealed more than 6000 people in NSW tested positive for Covid, influenza, or RSV in the fortnight ending on December 16, with the majority being women.

The highest number of positive cases across the state’s LGAs were reported in western Sydney with 1256 cases, while Sydney LGA reported just 473 positive tests.

Sewage testing in Bondi and Liverpool also revealed surges in cases there over the past couple of months, while Quakers Hill and Hunter-Burwood Beach were stable.

Elsewhere in the country, Queensland also reported a fourfold increase in people hospitalised for Covid in October amid warnings of a new wave of the virus there.

“It’s pretty clear these waves of Covid are getting less severe,” chief health officer John Gerrard said in October.

“The majority of people in hospital are over the aged of 65 and have received a booster in 2022.”