‘Do it for your nanna’: Desperate plea to Australia’s young after 18-35 year olds recorded the biggest surge in coronavirus infections - and some have no symptoms
- Young Australians have been urged to share reasons for taking COVID-19 tests
- NSW Health reveals people aged 18 to 35 have the highest rates of infection
- Australians are asked to share a video online with the hashtag #Itest4nsw
Health bosses have issued a desperate plea for young Australians to get tested for coronavirus, as one state teeters on the edge of a widespread outbreak.
People aged between 18 and 35 years old have recorded the biggest surge in COVID-19 infections, with the youngest victim - a man in his 30s - dying in Victoria on Wednesday.
More than 4,000 of the nation's 17,000 infections have been within the younger age groups - almost double all other demographics - between January and August, according to the Department of Health.
To encourage young people to take regular swabs for the respiratory virus, NSW Health released a targeted video on social media.
A NSW Health worker named Bob (pictured) urged Australians under 35 to talk about why they got tested
A list of possible reasons to get tested included, 'to keep your nanna safe,' to make sure your favourite cafe stays open,' or 'to get back to listening to live music'
In the video, a NSW Health worker named Bob urged Australians under 35 to talk about why they got tested.
'We need your help to increase testing rates for COVID-19 in NSW and help us get back to doing the things we love,' Bob said.
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He then asked people to upload a video to social media with the hashtag #Itest4NSW explaining why they got tested, or why they planned on getting tested soon.
A list of possible reasons to get tested included, 'to keep your nanna safe,' to make sure your favourite cafe stays open,' or 'to get back to listening to live music'.
The video also had a range of 'test-imonies' from young Australians who detailed why they got tested for the virus. Lauren (pictured) wanted to take her dog to puppy school
Jayden (pictured) said he gets tested because he would like the snow fields to stay open
The video also had a range of 'test-imonies' from young Australians who detailed why they got tested for the virus.
A woman named Ruby said: 'I get tested so my gym doesn't have to shut down, Aaron revealed that he takes tests to 'keep our elders healthy and safe,' and Jayden would like the snow fields to stay open.
Twitter users are yet to upload videos with the hashtag.
Young people can have coronavirus with no symptoms, meaning they can pass the virus onto others without even realising they are sick.
Overnight, 12 new coronavirus cases were recorded in NSW, with just one infection in hotel quarantine.
New South Wales has recorded 12 new coronavirus cases, with just one infection in hotel quarantine. Pictured: Sydneysiders wear face masks as they walk in front of Town Hall
NSW Health said one COVID-19 case reported on Wednesday was locally acquired from an unknown source, the fourth in just five days - with many more believed to be 'under investigation'.
'While most cases in the past week have been associated with local clusters and close contact with known cases, some have not been linked to known cases,' NSW Health said in a statement.
Of 10 new infections linked to clusters, two cases are connected to the Thai Rock restaurant in Wetherill Park, in Sydney's western suburbs, and six infections are associated with the funeral gatherings cluster.
NSW Health said there are 113 active coronavirus cases across the state and nine patients are receiving treatment in intensive care, with six on ventilators.
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