NSW Health has issued an alert after the news broke this morning that two visitors to Byron Bay have tested positive to COVID-19.
They are very quick to reassure residents that NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
Queensland Health advised that two new cases of COVID-19 attended a number of venues in the Byron Bay area from Friday March 26 to Sunday March 28 before returning to Queensland.
Urgent investigations and contact tracing are underway, and NSW Health will provide further updates throughout the day.
Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed below should get tested immediately and self-isolate until further advice is provided by NSW Health after we assess the transmission risk at these venues:
| Byron Bay | Byron Beach Hotel | 1 Bay St, Byron Bay NSW 2481 | Friday 26 March, 2021
From 7:15pm – 8:30pm |
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| Byron Bay | The Farm Byron Bay | 11 Ewingsdale Rd, Ewingsdale NSW 2481 | Sunday 28 March, 2021
From 8:00am – 9:30am |
NSW Health is urging anyone in the Byron Bay area with even the mildest of symptoms to come forward for testing and self-isolate immediately. To find your nearest clinic, visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-to-protect-yourself-and-others/clinics, or contact your GP.
Two new cases were acquired out of the state, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,094.
There were 8,037 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 8,204.
| Confirmed cases (incl. interstate residents in NSW health care facilities) | 5,094 | ||
| Deaths (in NSW from confirmed cases) | 56 | ||
| Total tests carried out | 5,324,548 |
A complete list of venues of concern, and the related health advice, will be available on the NSW Government website and people from the Byron Bay area or those who visited at the weekend are advised to check it regularly for updates: https://nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates
NSW Health is advising people against non-essential travel to the Greater Brisbane area at this time.
NSW Health is providing new COVID-19 testing clinics and increasing the hours of existing clinics across Northern NSW today. Two new clinics will be in operation in Byron Bay, including a drive-through, and Byron Central Hospital will increase its operating hours:
Here for three days and we have under 3 hrs accounted for?
where did they go the rest of the time and why is taking so long to get that info out?
I’m surprised it has taken so long for tourists to bring COVID to town.
The obvious thing to do is close the NSW border.
Oh, wait…
That would mean ticket refunds for Bluesfest and loss of $$$ for the grasping entrepreneurs’ set to profit from this event.
$$$ over peoples safety again.