ESSENTIAL workers travelling from Sydney to regional areas have been advised to get a weekly COVID test regardless of symptoms to prevent COVID-19 from seeping into other areas.
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It follows the announcement a man in his 70s from Sydney's eastern suburbs has died of COVID-19.
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian said there were 89 cases of community transmission in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday, with 21 of those infectious while in the community.
"And that is the number we need to see close to zero," the premier said.
"More than three-quarters of all of those new cases were close family contacts."
Ms Berejiklian urged people in Greater Sydney to stay home unless absolutely necessary.
"The other area of concern is people who need to leave home for work," she said.
"We will ask people who have to leave home for essential work to have a weekly COVID test even if they don't have symptoms.
"We do appreciate, for many citizens, conducting essential work is what all of us rely on - but we can't afford to have the virus spread.
"Stay home, do not leave home unless absolutely necessary.
"And if you live in the Fairfield area, please get tested every three days.
"If you are an essential working leaving Sydney and going to the regions and have no symptoms, we still want you to get tested.
"This surveillance testing is only for people who don't have symptoms.
"If you have symptoms, you should not be going anywhere."
Ms Berejiklian said one day was "not a trend".
"The numbers will keep bouncing around," she said.
"Our efforts will make a difference. Our efforts will allow us to leave the lock down in a timely way."
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A returned traveller from the Hunter in hotel quarantine in Sydney has tested positive for COVID-19, but there is yet to be any confirmed cases of the virus in the Newcastle region.
NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said a man in his 70s from Sydney's eastern suburbs has died of COVID-19.
She said there were still "too many" people in the community while infectious.
"It is essential that we stay at home and only leave home for the most essential of reasons," Dr Chant said.
"It is critical we do not become complacent. The risk is everywhere.
"We do a lot of surveillance testing... What we are doing is basically instituting surveillance testing.
"If you have symptoms, you need to isolate until you get a negative test.
"If at all possible, defer going to any workplace.
"We need to see behaviour change across our population."
Dr Chant said they were trying to get ahead of the virus.
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