Covid-19: Two unvaccinated Byron residents, one Grafton woman die

Two unvaccinated Byron residents and one vaccinated elderly Grafton woman have tragically lost their lives overnight as cases continue to soar in the region.

Three people have tragically lost their lives to Covid-19 overnight in Northern New South Wales as new cases soar to 683.

An unvaccinated man in his 50s from Byron Shire and an unvaccinated woman in her 70s also from Byron have died from the virus.

A Grafton Woman in her 90s who had received to doses of the vaccine has also passed away.

A Northern NSW Local Health District spokesman said there were now 35 positive Covid patients in hospital in Northern NSW with four in the ICU.

The Lismore Base Hospital Covid testing clinic has waits upwards of 3 hours.

The new cases are located in the following LGAs:

• Tweed 253
• Byron 139
• Ballina 115
• Lismore 84
• Clarence Valley 54
• Richmond Valley 29
• Kyogle 7
• Tenterfield 2

Earlier this week an unvaccinated man from Ballina also lost his life to Covid-19.

Archibald prize winning artist and Byron resident Craig Ruddy also passed away this week due to Covid-19 complications.

Local community leaders have expressed concerns about the availability of Covid tests with a number of testing clinics closing around the region and rapid antigen tests scarce in supply.

The Northern NSW Local Health District has recorded more than 5500 new cases of the virus in the four weeks to 8pm Thursday.