The Northern NSW Local Health District held a press conference at Lismore Base Hospital this afternoon.
Northern NSW Local Health District Acting Chief Executive, Lynne Weir gave the day’s stats and spoke about the latest local COVID cases.
Stay-at-home orders for Byron and Tweed
‘As you know, it was announced today by the New South Wales Government that there are new stay-at-home orders for the Byron and Tweed LGAs. They come into effect from 5pm today, and this also includes anyone who has been in the Byron and Tweed area since the 18th of September. That and stay at home is for seven days at this stage.
‘Until 8pm Last night we had no new cases confirmed cases of COVID-19 in northern New South Wales.
‘The new COVID case on the Ballina flight – contact tracing is still underway, one location has been confirmed at present, and others will be reported as soon as that is finalised.
‘At this stage we are unaware of any other locations, apart from the Ballina airport, and further contract tracing is in place to identify and look at the times for all the sites in Byron Bay. We believe that Byron Bay will have quite a few sites. So that is an area of concern for us and we encourage everybody in the Byron-Tweed area to come forward for testing.
Ms Weir said that a new close contact venue was the Kingscliff Beach Hotel on Marine Parade, and that the confirmed case was there on Sunday 19 September between 4pm and 9pm. ‘It is just vital that people who were there come forward and be tested, and then isolate at home for 14 days, even if they get a negative result.
Sewage fragments detection
Ms Weir said there have been more sewage detections. ‘We retested Wardell and Ballina and they have both come back with positive detection, again, so we’re looking again at whether we can it should increase testing in those areas, again, anybody in those areas, please come forward and be tested.
Ms Weir said she was unable to give any more details about the Lismore cases or the new Ballina fly in case, but she did say the second Lismore case was a close contact of the first case.
See the video of the conference for more details.
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.
COVID-19 reduces Australian life expectancy
Wuhan market increasingly likely origin point for COVID-19
Editorial – There’s a bat in my lab!
Fresh air federal funds for Northern Rivers schools in need
COVID-19 pandemic has cut life expectancy globally
COVID-19 update for New South Wales
Five graphs you need to see before the Global Carbon Budget...
Public transport mask mandate to end
NSW Police: be COVID-vigilant at Splendour in the Grass
COVID-19 update for the NNSWLHD – May 23
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
