Northern Rivers Covid lockdown: Latest updates, rolling coverage

ROLLING COVERAGE: Residents across the Northern Rivers are flocking to testing centres as exposure sites finally start to be revealed.

Long lines of cars are snaking their way around the Cavanabah Centre at Byron Bay.

WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR:

• Three confirmed Covid patients on the Northern Rivers

• Fourth “potential” case being investigated

• Northern NSW man who acquired the virus overseas has died in a Sydney hospital

• Five exposure sites listed.

• Queensland police intercepted 5900 vehicles yesterday at the border and turned around 108.

Update 1.20pm: Police will lay charges today against a man in Lismore Base Hospital with Covid-19.

Police allege he breached public health orders after he visited the Byron Bay and surrounding areas.

Update 11.50am: The NSW chief health officer confirmed there are no new cases of Covid-19 detected in the Northern NSW Local Health District to 8pm last night.

A Sydney father and his two teenage childrenare in Lismore Base Hospital after testing positive to Covid-19.

Acting chief executive Northern NSW Local Health District, Lynne Weir, said more than 3000 had been conducted at NSW Health testing locations, and many more were conducted by private centres.

She said as exposure locations were still being discovered, it was important for people to isolate and get tested immediately if they exhibited even the mildest of symptoms.

Update 11.40am: Police are investigating whether the Sydney man who tested positive to Covid-19 at Lismore Base Hospital was looking at real estate in the region.

Deputy Commissioner Worboys said police in Northern NSW were investigating where the man had been during the eight days he was infectious in the community.

He said police were well advanced in that investigation and would look at where he had been to determine if the travel was valid.

He said there were rules in place if someone was wanting to look at real estate, and police would look at the locations visited by the man to determine if his reasons for travel were “bona fide in terms of its reasonableness”.

Commissioner Worboys said police have issued fines of up to $1000 if someone is found to have breached public health orders, and could be put before the courts.

Original story: The man at the centre of the Northern Rivers’ Covid lockdown has been named, as police ramp up their investigations into his movements.

The Sydney father and his two teenage children travelled to Byron Bay from their home late last month, but he is now in Lismore Base Hospital being treated for the virus.

His two children have also tested positive for the virus.

Health authorities have said they were active in the region for “upwards of eight days”.

A fourth “potential” Covid case is being investigated, and a Northern NSW man who acquired the virus overseas has died in a Sydney hospital.

A number of exposure sites were finally revealed by NSW Health yesterday afternoon.

These include businesses in Byron Bay, Bangalow and Newrybar.

It is understood more venues will be added to the list today, but locals with any symptoms are being urged to immediately isolate and get tested.

A list of testing clinics is available here.

Long lines of cars snaked their way around the Cavanbah Centre this morning as Byron Bay residents come to grips with Covid-19 in their area.

Both the pop up clinic at the Cavanbah Centre and the Byron hospital testing site were swamped immediately once the list of exposure sites went live on Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, police are investigating “hundreds and hundreds” of alleged Covid breaches, many of them through anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers.

Almost 400 cars have been stopped by police as part of Operation Boundary Response.

And while lockdown is now entering its second full day, a number of businesses are reminding residents they are considered “essential” and are open as usual.

Please follow the rules around face masks, QR check-ins, social distancing and hand sanitiser.