The extent to which COVID cases are climbing again in the Illawarra hinge on the weekly statistics and the latest numbers will drop on Thursday morning.
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However, in a throwback to pandemic days of old, cars have already been spotted forming long queues outside a Wollongong COVID testing tent.
The Denison Street drive-through was consistently busy on Wednesday, reflecting the trend revealed in the stats of the Illawarra.
In the past three weeks, there has been a 62 per cent increase in recorded local COVID-19 cases - from 962 cases recorded in the week ending Saturday, November 5, up to 1558 cases recorded in the week to Saturday, November 19.
That number rose another 180 to 1738 by November 24, NSW Health statistics show.
However, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District executive director of medical services and clinical governance, Dr Peter Jansen, said the prevalence of the virus may be higher.
The number of COVID-19 patients in hospital has also increased over recent weeks, although the number of patients requiring admission to the Intensive Care Unit has remained steady.
"The district's hospitals are well prepared to manage fluctuations, including capacity to safely care for infectious patients, in line with COVID-19 patient management protocols," Dr Jansen said.
He advised anyone feeling unwell, or who has tested positive to COVID-19, not to visit aged care facilities or hospitals, to protect vulnerable people.
"Our highest priority is the safety of our patients and staff."
Earlier this month, NSW Health upgraded its COVID-19 risk rating to amber requiring masks to be worn in all hospital areas and visitor numbers to be monitored to protect staff and patients.
The state's COVID sewerage surveillance program, which detects fragments of the virus in the sewer, recorded an upswing in the Wollongong system in the week ending November 24, after two weeks of stable results.
WHERE TO GET TESTED
- Fairy Meadow drive-through: Dalton Park, Pioneer Road. Mon-Fri 8am to 3.30pm, closed Saturday, Sun 8am to 3.30pm
- Wollongong walk-in: 37 Denison Street. Mon-Fri 9am to 3pm
- Wollongong drive-through: 45 Denison Street. Mon-Sun 8am to 5pm
- Berkeley Fred Finch Park: Illawarra Stadium. Mon-Fri 8am to 5pm, closed Saturday, Sun 8am to 5pm.
- Shellharbour: Wattle Road (Myimbarr Sporting Fields Car Park). Mon-Fri 8am to 3pm.
- Albion Park: Croome Road Sporting Complex, Croome Road. Mon-Sun 8am to 3pm.
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