Coffs Covid-19: More than 250 new cases
The two biggest cities on the Mid North Coast - including Coffs Harbour - account for the bulk of the new cases as some restrictions are reintroduced.
Coffs Harbour
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Coffs Harbour has accounted for more than a third of the new Covid cases on the Mid North Coast in the latest reporting period.
The Coffs council area had 252 cases for the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday - shaded only by Port Macquarie with 331 infections.
The two cities comprised the bulk of 664 new cases, with the rest reported at Kempsey, 36, Nambucca, 24, and Bellingen, 21.
A Coffs Harbour man in his 90s died with Covid this week.
On Saturday, the Mid North Coast Local Health District announced that there are 31 Covid cases in Mid North Coast hospitals, with two people in intensive care.
There have been 4967 cases reported in the district since June 2021.
There were 1,336 tests conducted at Mid North Coast Health clinics on Friday.
Statewide, NSW Health has reported the deaths of nine people with Covid - four women and five men, aged in their 50s, 70s, and 90s.
Five people were from south western Sydney, two from south eastern Sydney, one from western Sydney and one from Newcastle.
Across NSW, there are currently 1795 Covid-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 145 people in intensive care, 40 of whom require ventilation.
NSW recorded 45,098 new cases - a new record for the state - of Covid in the 24 hours to 8pm Friday.
The local man whose death was reported this week had been a resident of the Coffs Harbour Grange aged care facility, which is now in lockdown.
He had received two doses of a Covid vaccine.
Retired healthcare workers have been called on to rejoin the Covid frontline, while some restrictions for hospitality venues have been reintroduced in an effort to stem the spread of Omicron and ease pressure on the hospital system.
In NSW, singing and dancing at indoor venues has been banned and non-urgent elective surgeries postponed until January 27.
Under the reintroduced restrictions, non-urgent elective surgeries will be postponed until January 27 as a buckling health system prioritises its resources.
NSW Health deputy secretary Susan Pearce said the system was “very fatigued”.
“If I need to put on a uniform myself and go and work, I will,” Ms Pearce said.
“We are calling out to everyone who is a registered health professional who may be able to assist us.
“We’re looking at care assistants who can go and assist the more experienced staff, we’re looking at interns we can bring on early, graduates we can bring on early.”
Meanwhile, Coles supermarkets have introduced limits on some meat purchases as well as rapid antigen tests (RATs) as Covid has impacted supply streams.
The items with limitations are, per customer:
– Hough Covid-19 Home Test Kit (one pack, excluding WA)
– Chicken breasts (two packs)
– Chicken thighs (two packs)
– Mince (two packs)
– Sausages (two packs).
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