![In the latest weekly figures, 877 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the Illawarra Shoalhaven - higher than the 812 cases reported in the first week of January in the aftermath of the Christmas 2022 Omicron wave. In the latest weekly figures, 877 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the Illawarra Shoalhaven - higher than the 812 cases reported in the first week of January in the aftermath of the Christmas 2022 Omicron wave.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/HcD9H4nNcktxiWcmkEEpQD/3af4ac09-f982-4857-8aa8-3c6a0c295dbb.png/r0_0_1590_1154_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Illawarra COVID case numbers have hit their highest point this year, with health officials admitting the reported figures do not represent the true number of cases circulating in the community.
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In the latest weekly figures, 877 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the Illawarra Shoalhaven - higher than the 812 cases reported in the first week of January in the aftermath of the Christmas 2022 Omicron wave.
In the peak of that wave the region recorded 2728 cases in a week, just before Christmas.
NSW Health says evolving Omicron sublineages are responsible for the current increased transmission as the virus continues to evade immunity.
Case notifications in the week ending May 13 increased 18 per cent compared to the previous week, the health department said.
Other indicators which are not reliant on testing, like sewage monitoring and health workers taking leave, showed moderate to high levels of COVID-19.
As winter approaches, other respiratory illnesses are also making people sick, with children most affected by influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.
Rates of COVID-19 are also going up among school aged children.
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"NSW is continuing to experience elevated levels of transmission of respiratory viral infections, including COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, associated with the beginning of winter," the weekly report says.
"Compared to the previous week, notifications of influenza have increased by 35% to 1,282 and RSV notifications have decreased slightly."
"Emergency department admissions for coronavirus, influenza-like illness and bronchiolitis have all increased over the last few weeks."
The department said the high rates of flu cases and increasing COVID in kids may be explained by high levels of mixing associated with schools and childcare, as well as higher rates of testing in this age group.
In the Illawarra, there were 55 cases of influenza reported in the week to May 13, and 81 cases of RSV.
Since the end of April, the weekly reports no longer include the number of deaths in each local area, but between January to April there were 68 COVID-19 deaths in the Illawarra Shoalhaven health district.
Around half of those deaths occurred in January, several weeks after cases peaked in mid-December.
Last week, the World Health Organisation declared the end of the global health emergency surrounding COVID, but local authorities have urged people to continue taking precautions.
COORDINARE's Medical Director and Warrawong GP Dr Kathy Michelmore said people should be topping up their COVID-19 boosters before June.
"Although we are no longer in a health emergency, it is important we all remain vigilant as COVID-19 is still present in our communities and new variants may still pose a threat," she said.
"By continuing to receive the COVID boosters our community can continue to limit the impact of the virus, especially on vulnerable members of our community.
"But there is a risk if we become complacent and if vaccination rates fall."
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