There are no new COVID cases in the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSW HD) however, there has been the detection of fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 in the Yamba sewage treatment plant (STP).
Fragments of the virus have also been detected in the STPs of Bathurst and Orange though there are no known cases in those areas either. Fragments had also been detected in Lennox Head and Ballina STPs, however the Ballina STP has subsequently returned a negative result on 15 August. People in these areas are being asked to come forward for testing as they could indicate undetected infections in those areas.
‘Sewage testing is an additional surveillance tool which can help provide early warning of undetected infections,’ Lynne Weir, Acting Chief Executive NNSW HD.
‘We are also strongly encouraging people who may live on properties which are not connected to the town sewage supply systems, to please be alert for any symptoms of COVID-19 and get tested immediately.’
A new drive through testing clinic has opened at Lennox Head. The new testing clinic has been opened at the sports field opposite Epiq Marketplace in Lennox Head and is operational Thursday 19 August, 9am – 2pm and Friday 20 August, 9am – 2pm.
Yamba
A new testing clinic will be operational from today in Yamba:
- QML Pathology Drive Through Clinic, Raymond Laurie Sports Centre, 78 Angourie Rd, Yamba. Open 9am- 3pm. No appointments required.
Other testing clinics in the Clarence Valley are:
- Yamba Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, 72 Yamba Road, Yamba. Open Monday to Friday 7.30am – 2.00pm, appointments required.
- Yamba Respiratory Clinic, 12 Clarence Street, Yamba. Open Monday to Friday 8.00am – 5.00pm, appointments required.
- Grafton Base Hospital clinic, 184 Arthur Street, Grafton. Open seven days 9.00am – 5.00pm, no appointment required.
- Grafton South Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, 94 Bent Street, Coles Complex, South Grafton. Open Monday – Friday 7.00am – 2.00pm, appointments required.
To find your nearest testing clinic, visit the NSW Health COVID-19 testing site or contact your GP.
New permit system
Deputy Premier John Barilaro told a press conference yesterday that ‘70 per cent of infections are in people under age of forty’.
With infections continuing to leak into regional NSW Barilaro reminded everyone that ‘if you don’t have to leave home, don’t leave home’.
He said that the NSW government had increased retrictions in place for Sydney and they were meeting yestreday afternoon to confirm the details of a permit system that ‘will be in play by Saturday for anyone who needs to leaves Sydney’.
Recent stories, information and updates regarding COVID-19
New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Life shows life expectancy in Australia has decreased slightly for the second year in a row. An international team of researchers has found more evidence that COVID-19 came from animals in a Wuhan food market. The lab-leak theory that Covid-19 came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology – instead of a nearby wet market – was thrashed about in public recently, with the US Senate Homeland Security Committee holding a hearing into Covid-19. Eighteen schools in the Northern Rivers division of Richmond have received $25,000 each as part of the federal government’s School Upgrade Fund, Labor Member for Richmond Justine Elliot said last week. COVID-19 reversed earlier trends toward longer life expectancies. During the pandemic, life expectancies globally dropped by 1.6 years according to a new study published in the Lancet medical journal. Let’s not forget that Covid-19 is still a big issue in our community with 31,935 cases reported across Australia in the last week – an average of 4,562 cases per day. The Global Carbon Budget is about to be refreshed, giving the world a critical insight into how efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are (or are not) progressing. Masks will no longer be mandatory on public transport from tomorrow, Wednesday 21 September. SW Police are urging festival-goers at this weekend’s music festival to celebrate in a safe and responsible manner, whilst also being aware of COVID-Safety measures. The Northern NSW Local Health District reports that to 4pm yesterday, Sunday May 22, there were 40 COVID-19 positive patients in hospital in Northern NSW, with one of these in ICU.
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