More than 19,000 Covid tests completed in Northern NSW in the last four weeks

New data from the Northern NSW Local Health District show which areas responded well to the call-out for more testing after recent Covid scares in the region.

BYRON BAY , AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos March 30, 2021: QML Pathology Medical staff drivers and passengers at the pop up Covid Testing site at Cavanbah Sports Ground, Ewingsdale Road Byron Bay. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Scott Powick

A total of 19,305 Covid-19 tests have been completed in Northern NSW in the last four weeks.

Data from the Northern NSW Local Health District published by NSW Health indicated the area between Tweed and Port Macquarie, including the Northern Rivers and Clarence areas, were just shy of 20,000 tests up to 8pm, Tuesday July 27.

NSW Health completed 1,756,619 tests in the state in the same period.

Northern NSW’s test rate per 1000 people was 62, the lowest in the state for those four weeks. NSW’s rate was 215.

Testing numbers by LGA were:

• Ballina: 2748 (62 per 1000)
• Byron: 2827 (81 per 1000)
• Clarence Valley: 2589 (50 per 1000)
• Coffs Harbour: 7478 (97 per 1000)
• Lismore: 3055 (70 per 1000)
• Nambucca: 1444 (73 per 1000)
• Port Macquarie – Hastings: 6236 (74 per 1000)
• Tenterfield: 177 (27 per 1000)
• Tweed: 5901 (61 per 1000)

There were no positive Covid-19 cases in Northern NSW recorded in the last four weeks.

From July 4 to July 10, there were 3,280 COVID-19 tests conducted among residents of Northern NSW Local Health District, compared to 5,861 two weeks earlier.

The zero positive cases comes despite a string of scares in Northern NSW amid the current Sydney outbreak, including a service station at Chinderah being included in the list of Covid-19 case locations on July 17, a number of venues in Coffs Harbour on July 20, Covid-19 fragments were detected in Byron Bay sewerage on July 20, and a passenger on a Sydney to Ballina flight tested positive on July 14 and was added to the list of cases on July 24.

Recent samples of sewerage taken from Byron Bay on July 23, 25 and 26 have been negative.

Three sewerage samples from Ballina, three from Lismore, four from Banora Point, one from Bangalow, one from Mullumbimby, four from Ocean Shores, for from Hasting Points, for from Murwillumbah, for from Kingscliff, for from Yamba, for from Grafton and five from Coffs Harbour during July were all negative to Covid-19.