Health professionals have faced a "steep learning curve" as they prepare for an increase in COVID-19 cases.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The South East Regional Hospital's medical services director Liz Mullins said on Friday the region is in the "early stages" of transmission, describing the eight locally confirmed cases so far as part of a "slow community spread".
While testing criteria for the virus is slowly expanding, Dr Mullins admitted "most people who get the virus are not sick at all", and are asymptomatic.
She said the health system is tracing close contacts of infected residents, and if residents have not been contacted by the Public Health Unit, they are "not at risk".
As of Sunday night, NSW Health confirmed 1918 people have tested positive to COVID-19 in the state so far.
Dr Mullins said front line hospital staff have been under consistent stress since the recent bushfire emergency, as they prepare for an increase in critical patient admissions.
"We know people we know are going to get sick. We know we are going to have lots of patients in hospital," Dr Mullins said.
General practitioner and anaesthetist Duncan Mackinnon said while the hospital is "as prepared as it can be", the period since the first confirmed case has not been all "plain sailing".
"We have had a very steep learning curve, informed by local experts and through our own international contacts with Intensivists in the midst of the pandemic themselves," he said.
"We have enough supplies for now, and continue to do extensive drill preparation, refining and improving our protocols as much as we can before cases start to escalate.
"The bottom line is that the most care, concern and love we can show for one another at this time is to not get infected."
The Prime Minister and the National Cabinet have agreed stricter social distancing laws will come into effect from midnight on Monday, limiting indoor and outdoor gatherings to two people, except in the case of family units and people living in the same household.
"The rate of increase in the virus curve is slowing, but overall numbers are still increasing," Mr Morrison said.
"While the majority of cases in Australia are connected to travellers returning to Australia from overseas, there has been some sustained community transmission in areas of Sydney and Melbourne."
The meeting also reached an agreement to work on a "a moratorium on evictions over the next six months for commercial and residential tenancies in financial distress".
Monday's meeting focused on the economy, with treasurer Josh Frydenberg describing the approach as "the hibernation strategy".
Mr Morrison announced the proposal of wage subsidies for struggling businesses, which will take the form of a $1500 a fortnight "Jobkeeper" payment at the cost of $130billion.