Two new cases in Kyogle and Ballina as testing queues grow longer

A drive-through testing facility has been swamped by people after a Covid case led to the closure of a school and a popular shopping centre was listed as a venue of concern.

Tim Jarrett, Liana Boss and Javier Encalada

3 min read

October 15, 2021 - 3:30PM

Ballina residents flock to get tested for Covid-19

Lismore

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Northern NSW recorded two new Covid-19 cases in the Kyogle and Ballina areas in the 24 hours to 8pm Thursday.

Lynne Weir, Acting Chief Executive Northern NSW Local Health District, confirmed the new case in Kyogle was linked to an existing cluster.

The case in Ballina Shire is under investigation.

The Clarence Valley cluster remains the biggest in Northern NSW with 24 cases in the past four weeks.

There have been 458 Covid-related deaths in NSW since June 16, 2021, and 514 in total since the start of the pandemic.

There have now been 92 total cases reported in NNSWLHD since the Delta outbreak began in Sydney on 16 June.

The local infections are part of 399 new locally acquired cases in NSW and four deaths.

A NSW Health breakdown of Covid cases in the past four weeks shows:

Ballina: 10
Byron Bay: 6
Clarence Valley: 24
Coffs Harbour: 5
Kyogle: 16
Lismore: 14
Richmond Valley: 18
Tweed: 4

Ms Weir said 10,303 tests were completed in Northern NSW between October 8 and 13.

She said the 4Cyte Pathology Drive-through testing clinics will be open throughout the weekend at their existing locations in Ballina, Lismore, Murwillumbah and South Tweed. For details click here.

Testing in Ballina

The Ballina drive-through Covid-19 testing clinic has been inundated with people on Friday morning after Ballina Fair Shopping Centre was listed as a venue of concern.

A long queue has formed at the Ballina 4Cyte Pathology drive-through testing site on River Street.

Ballina Fair has been listed as a venue of concern after an infected person attended the centre between 6am and 2pm on October 6 and 8.

Traffic queued along Brunswick Street and Winton Lane as large numbers of people turned up to get tested at the drive-through clinic.

More than 400 students and staff have been ordered to self-isolate after a positive Covid-19 case was confirmed at a Northern Rivers school.

The 4Cyte Covid-19 drive-through testing clinic on River Street in Ballina has been inundated on Friday amid new cases of the virus in the region and the listing of Ballina Fair Shopping Centre as a venue of concern. Picture: Liana Boss

Cars queue for Covid-19 testing in Ballina

The Lismore High campus of The Rivers Secondary College was closed for cleaning and contact tracing, a NSW Education spokesman confirmed on Thursday evening.

It’s the second school to close in a matter of days after Ballina Coast High shut its doors on Tuesday. It has since reopened.

“All staff and students are asked to self-isolate and follow the NSW Health advice and protocols,” the spokesman said.

The closure comes as Northern NSW Health announced a raft of new venues of concern, including a petrol station and bottle shop in Lismore and a shopping centre in Ballina.

Meanwhile, a select number of Northern Rivers libraries will reopen from Friday with additional security measures.

Branches at Tweed Heads and Murwillumbah are opening for limited hours as the regional library network pivots from a click and collect model.

Tweed Shire Council will hire security guards to ensure compliance with the public health orders.

General manager Troy Green said the council had agreed to fund the additional labour hire costs to ensure the safety of all patrons and staff.

“The initial decision by the Richmond Tweed Regional Library executive council to limit services to click and collect only was made due to previous unacceptable behaviour towards library staff in the past,” Mr Green said.

Staff at the 4Cyte Covid-19 drive-through testing clinic on River Street in Ballina on Friday. Picture: Liana Boss

“There is light at the end of the tunnel but until then we ask patrons to be kind and respect staff at our facilities and at private businesses seeking to ensure compliance with public health orders.”

Online click and collect services will remain available at the branches as well as at Kingscliff Library.

Under the plan, the Murwillumbah and Tweed libraries will be open for full services on week days from 9am to 12:30pm until Friday, October 22, when the decision will be reviewed.