Don’t kiss your mum on Mother’s Day, NSW Health Minister says

In the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday 13,692 people were tested, compared to 9461 people in the 24-hour period prior. Mr Hazzard thanked the community for turning out in record numbers and encouraged anyone with even slight flu-like symptoms to keep getting tested.

Despite the high testing numbers, Mr Hazzard said just five people tested positive in that reporting period.

“It tells us NSW is doing incredibly well,” Mr Hazzard said.

He said people should go and enjoy the company of their mum on Sunday, but to be careful.

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“We want to keep our mums safe on this Mother’s Day, but no vaccine means we are still vulnerable and we need vigilance,” he said.

NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Gary Worboys said the two-person rule applied to those wanting to visit the cemetery on Mother’s Day.

“Police will also be available to assist with traffic in and out of those places to ensure that everyone gets the opportunity to attend a cemetery and spend some time with their loved ones on what is a very important day,” he said.

NSW Health’s Dr Jeremy McAnulty said one of the five new cases was in someone returning from overseas, two were contacts of previously known cases, and two whose illness was still under investigation.

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Of the 3051 positive cases in NSW, Mr Hazzard said 2504 are now well again.

There were no new cases linked to the Newmarch House outbreak. So far 69 cases, including 32 staff and 37 residents. NSW Health said 24 residents and 101 staff were tested for COVID-19 on May 7.

Newmarch House resident Fay Rendoth, aged 92, died at the facility overnight. Her family said she had been ill with COVID-19 and her death was made harder by the fact they couldn’t be with her.

“We were somewhat comforted by knowing Newmarch staff went in and sang to her, read the Bible to her,” her granddaughter Savannah Robinson said.

An Anglicare spokesman shared the organisation’s deepest sympathies with Mrs Rendoth’s family, however Dr McAnulty said her death was not being counted in the COVID-19 death toll.

“We understand that the person had COVID, had recovered, had other illnesses and was elderly and died, as a doctor does not believe directly related to the COVID,” he said.