Coffs Covid-19: Case numbers dive at Coffs Harbour, but up at Kempsey, Nambucca

It’s better news for Coffs Harbour and Bellingen, but the number of new Covid cases has skyrocketed at Kempsey and Nambucca.

Coffs Harbour Health Campus.

There has been a sharp drop in the number of Covid-19 cases at Coffs Harbour in the latest reporting period – but new cases have surged at Nambucca and Kempsey.

In the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, there were 83 new cases in the Coffs Harbour City Council area – well down from the 252 reported in the on Saturday period.

But the case numbers at Kempsey and Nambucca basically doubled in the latest period.

Covid at a glance

Coffs Harbour: 86 new cases – previous day 252

Kempsey: 73 new cases – 36

Nambucca Valley: 46 new cases – 24

Bellingen: 8 new cases – 21

The PCR Covid testing station at Coffs Harbour. Picture: Tim Jarrett.

Across the Mid North Coast Local Health District 453 new cases were detected in the latest period – 240 of these from the Port Macquarie-Hastings council area.

There were 971 tests conducted at Mid North Coast Health clinics on Saturday.

There are now 45 Covid-19 cases in Mid North Coast hospitals, with two people in intensive care.

A Coffs Harbour man aged in his 90s died with Covid last week.

There have been 5420 cases reported in the district since June 2021.

Statewide, NSW Health is reporting the deaths of 16 people in the latest period; eight women and eight men, aged in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.

Fourteen were from Sydney, one from the South Coast and one from the Central Coast.

NSW recorded 30,062 new cases of Covid in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday.

124 cases have been excluded from the tally following further investigation, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 455,340.

NSW Health vaccination clinics across the state will begin to administer the Pfizer vaccine to children aged five to 11 years of age from Monday, January 10.

Authorities encourage parents and caregivers to make a booking for vaccination at any NSW Health vaccination clinic, at a general practitioner, or a community pharmacy.

Public health orders will also be updated next week to include a requirement that people report their positive rapid antigen test results, to link people with Covid-19 to health support and advice.