NSW records its tenth consecutive day without community transmission but health minister reveals what could quickly ‘turn this thing upside down’
New South Wales on Monday recorded its tenth day in a row without a single case of COVID-19 community transmission.
One case has been diagnosed in a returned overseas traveller in hotel quarantine, but Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the state's residents could not afford to let their guard down.
'Until there’s a vaccine and a treatment, we need to treat everybody as if they potentially have this virus,' he told Sunrise.
'Complacency could turn this thing upside down very quickly.'
Pictured: Revellers at Bondi Beach on Monday. New South Wales has recorded its tenth day in a row without a single case of COVID-19 community transmission
Passengers at Sydney International Airport on September 24. 'Complacency could turn this thing upside down very quickly,' Health Minister Brad Hazzard said
Health officials have also raised concerns about the low testing numbers for the virus in NSW - with just 4,789 tests being carried out over the last 24-hour reporting period.
That figure is compared to 8,305 tests the previous day.
'It’s looking good but of course the community needs to take this seriously,' Mr Hazzard said.
Victoria meanwhile recorded nine new coronavirus infections and no deaths overnight as Premier Daniel Andrews pleaded for residents to 'stay the course'.
The 14-day rolling average of COVID-19 infections dropped to 11.6 for metropolitan Melbourne on Monday, while regional Victoria rose from 0.2 to 0.3.
Mr Andrews implored residents to continue following the rules after large groups at beaches and parks flouted coronavirus restrictions in recent days.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the state's residents could not afford to let their guard down
Victoria reported nine new coronavirus infetions on Monday. Pictured: Police patrol at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne during hot weather on Saturday
Three women sunbathe in their COVIDSafe bubbles at St Kilda on Saturday
'We are so, so close. Let's not any of us do anything that might undermine the very positive numbers,' he told reporters on Sunday.
'Once we get them low, we can keep them low and we can open up again.
'If we don't do anything silly or anything selfish right now.'