Northern NSW Local Health District reports that to 4pm yesterday, 31 March, there were 577 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the District, including 70 positive PCR tests and 507 positive rapid antigen tests (RAT)**.
Confirmed tests by LGA (PCR and RAT included):
o Ballina 77
o Byron 82
o Clarence Valley 95
o Kyogle 11
o Lismore 96
o Richmond Valley 42
o Tenterfield 1
o Tweed 173
There are 24 COVID-19 positive patients in hospital in Northern NSW, with two of these in ICU.
Everyone is urged to take simple precautions to protect each other, such as:
• use a mask in indoor settings where you cannot maintain a safe physical distance from others, and
• get your booster vaccine
• get a test and isolate immediately if you have any COVID symptoms,
• clean your hands regularly.
If you have even mild symptoms or have had known contact with a COVID-19 case, to please get tested as soon as you can.
COVID-19 testing clinics are open seven days a week at Lismore Base Hospital, Byron Central Hospital, North Street Grafton and The Tweed Hospital.
If you are unable to attend a testing clinic, please take a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) and isolate while awaiting your result.
If you test positive using a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), please register your result with Service NSW.
** Please note these RAT results may be from within the previous seven days, and there may be some cases included in these numbers where people have reported positive RATs on multiple days and/or where people have also had a positive PCR test during the same reporting period.
Case data and other COVID-19 information is available on the NSW Government website.
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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