The region's health boss has praised the Wollongong community - and health staff - for "pulling together" to stop the spread of COVID-19.
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Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District chief executive Margot Mains said residents had come out in "record numbers" after a Wollongong case was confirmed on Tuesday.
"I'm grateful to our community for coming forward for testing in such large numbers," she said.
"I'm sorry some areas experienced long waits, but staff are working hard and as fast as they can."
Live coverage: Wollongong's latest COVID cases as it happens
Ms Mains said the testing clinics operated by the local health districts and private providers including Laverty, IML and 4Cyte pathology had expanded their hours of operation to help meet demand, while the Figtree pop-up clinic had also been established.
"On Tuesday the Wollongong assessment clinic was operating until 2am, and then opened back up at 7am this morning," she said. "On Tuesday up to 550 people were tested there alone.
"Along with our clinics, the private providers and GP respiratory clinics we now have 16 clinics up and running across the district. A further two will be announced later today and maybe two more tomorrow.
"We've brought in additional staff, we've brought staff back off leave and we've had staff brought in from four other local health districts.
"Everyone's just pulling together and it's fantastic."
Ms Mains said changing health advice around testing for those who had visited different venues and shopping centres was being relayed to people lining up for testing.
"For instance after quite indepth interviews from the contact tracing team the risk for Figtree Grove and Wollongong Central was downgraded during the day - with people told to monitor for symptoms rather than seek immediate testing," she said.
"The more information we get, the more precise we can be about the risk.
"We've had people relaying that information to people in queues and some have left as a result but many have chosen to stay and get tested."
Ms Mains said the district had plenty of PPE and testing kits available. She urged anyone in the community with even the most mildest of symptoms to come forward for testing.
"We'd urge the community to continue to maintain physical distancing, to wear a mask in situations where they can't physically distance, to continue to wash their hands and sanitise and if they experience any symptoms such as a runny nose or sore throat to get tested immediately."
She also urged people to stick to the new restrictions for New Year's Eve, of five visitors per household in Wollongong.
"We hope to get on top of this as quickly as possible," she said, "and we can do so with the continued help of the community, and continued efforts from staff."
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