Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) is urging people to continue coming forward for testing and vaccination after two further COVID-19 cases were reported in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, October 14.
Ballina is certainly taking heed as cars were lined up for blocks at lunchtime today, waiting to be tested at the pop-up testing station in River Street.
NNSWLHD Acting Chief Executive, Lynne Weir, said today that there is one new case in the Kyogle Local Government Area (LGA) and it is linked to an existing cluster. One case is in the Ballina LGA, and is under investigation.
‘There have now been 94 total cases reported in NNSWLHD since the Delta outbreak began in Sydney on 16 June.
‘Fragments of the COVID-19 virus were detected in samples from the Byron Bay sewage treatment plant on 12 October and 7 October which serves approximately 9,000 people in the Broken Head, Suffolk Park, Byron Bay, Wategos, and Sunrise areas.
‘While there have been a small number of cases in the Byron Shire in recent weeks, these detections could indicate there are other are positive cases active in the community who have not been tested.
Testing clinics
Testing clinics available in Grafton this weekend:
Laverty Pathology Drive through Clinic, Hawthorne Park, Minden Street, South Grafton. Open today 9am – 3pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am – 2pm, Monday 9am – 3pm.
Grafton Base Hospital, 184 Arthur Street, Grafton, open seven days. Open today 7am – 7pm.
Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology Grafton South, Coles Complex, Shop 9, 4 Bent Street, South Grafton. Open today 7am – 4pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday, back open Monday.
Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, 19-21 King Street, Grafton. Open Saturday 16 October 7am – 12pm.
The 4Cyte Pathology Drive through testing clinics will also be open throughout this weekend at their existing locations in Ballina, Lismore, Murwillumbah and South Tweed. Please visit the COVID-19 testing clinics website for opening times.
Anyone with even the slightest symptoms should get tested as soon as they feel unwell. There are more than 500 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW. Find a clinic at COVID-19 testing clinics or contact your GP.
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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