Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) reported 35 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm 10 December.
Northern NSW Local Health District, Chief Executive, Wayne Jones, said that of the cases, 23 were in the Byron Local Government Area, 2 in the Lismore LGA, 8 in the Ballina LGA, and 2 in the Tweed LGA.
‘Thirty of the 35 cases are linked to an existing case or cluster. One case in the Ballina LGA, one case in the Tweed LGA, two cases in Byron LGA and one case in Lismore LGA remain under investigation.
‘We are seeing an increase in cases in the Byron Bay region, and the majority of them are associated with venues including pubs, clubs and party settings.’
Mr Jones said the transmission in these types of settings is contributing to the increase in cases in NSW. ‘We want to remind people how important it is for people not to attend social functions if they have any symptoms, even if mild. Where possible, social gatherings should be held in outdoor environments.
‘We urge anyone in Northern NSW who develops symptoms such as a runny nose, a scratchy or sore throat, or is generally feeling unwell, to get tested and isolate immediately, even if you are fully vaccinated.
‘Thank you to everyone who has come forward for testing in recent days. We thank you for your patience as we see greater numbers of people presenting for testing.
There are more than 450 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW. Find your nearest clinic on the NSW Government website or contact your GP.
Mr Jones said that if you have tested positive to COVID-19 virus, you must isolate from others. ‘You will be registered as a patient of the Northern NSW COVID Virtual Care Service for monitoring of your health while you are COVID-19 positive and self-isolating.
‘Staff from the Virtual COVID Care Service will be in touch with you in the next 24 to 48 hours to register you onto the service.
‘You should also expect a phone call from the Public Health Unit to discuss possible source of infection and work through contact tracing. This service is separate from the Virtual COVID Care Service.’
Advice for international travellers
New rules for returning travellers regarding the Omicron B.1.1.529 variant of concern are now in place. In line with Commonwealth measures, all travellers arriving in NSW who have been in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini and Malawi during the 14-day period before their arrival in NSW must enter hotel quarantine for 14 days, irrespective of their vaccination status.
All fully vaccinated travellers who have been in any other overseas country during the 14-day period before their arrival in NSW must travel directly to their place of residence or accommodation and isolate for 72 hours.
They will only be able to exit isolation at the end of the 72 hour period if they have received a negative result.
These people must also complete a PCR test on day six after arrival. Anyone who has already arrived in NSW who has been in any of the eight African countries within the previous 14 days must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, and call NSW Health on 1800 943 553.
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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