Two new Covid cases in the Southern Highlands, three new Covid cases in Goulburn
There have been more Covid cases reported in the Southern Highlands and Goulburn, with one man in hospital as local cases continue to rise despite empty testing lines.
The Bowral News
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Local case numbers continue to slowly rise in the Southern Highlands and Goulburn as health authorities continue to urge people to get vaccinated.
Two new active cases have been reported in the Southern Highlands as the local case numbers continue to rise.
NSW Health reported a case previously identified in another area of NSW has now been recorded in the Southern Highlands after an investigation by NSW Health.
The Southern Highlands recorded a new Covid case on Thursday and three on Wednesday, revealing a slow increase in numbers which is worrying residents.
The new cases bring the total number of active cases in the Shire to 32, of which 27 are under investigation for unknown sources.
Dr Jeremy McAnulty previously confirmed NSW Health contact tracers have changed their methods in order to cope with the overwhelming increase in Covid cases, and will not be recording each venue of concern.
A list of local venues of concern is below, but the local sites identified by NSW Health have not been updated since September 16.
Despite the spike in active case numbers, there were no lines at local Covid testing clinics which are open to walk-in patients.
The Wingecarribee Shire has recorded 36 Covid cases since the start of the second wave of the pandemic in June. Covid traces have been detected in the sewage systems of Mittagong and Bowral in the latest surveillance data from September 14. After weeks of not showing any traces of Covid, Moss Vale sewage has also succumbed to the virus.
The new cases follow last week’s announcement of a number of exposure sites in Bowral and Mittagong, as well as the deep cleaning of Regal Medical Centre in Mittagong after a doctor and nurse tested positive for the virus.
The full breakdown of the exposure sites is below. Anyone who has visited these venues of concern at the times listed should get tested and self-isolate until receiving a negative result.
Several exposure sites have been identified for the Goulburn region, which has recorded three new Covid cases today. The new active cases are all linked to a known source, which is true of all the cases announced this week.
The increase brings the total number of Covid cases in Goulburn to 20, of which 15 have unknown sources. Unsurprisingly, traces of Covid have been detected in the local sewage treatment plants.
Southern NSW Local Health District has confirmed one person was hospitalised for Covid in Goulburn yesterday.
Despite the announcement of a number of exposure sites across the city, there are no delays at testing clinics set up throughout Goulburn.
As for the southern region, Queanbeyan has recorded no new cases of Covid Friday. On Thursday, one new case with an unknown source was reported. Of the total 27 active cases in Queanbeyan, 14 have an unknown source. Traces of the virus have been found in the sewage during the latest surveillance.
The new cases come as the state has recorded 1043 cases throughout NSW. According to NSW Health, there are currently 1186 people with Covid in the hospital – 232 of whom are in intensive care.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged residents not to get complacent and to continue to get vaccinated and monitor for symptoms.
A total of 59.7 per cent of Southern Highlands residents are fully vaccinated, while 44.5 per cent of Goulburn residents have had two jabs. Meanwhile, Queanbeyan residents have reached 48.4 per cent double vaccination rates.
Vaccinations are available at NSW Health Covid clinics, including selected pharmacies, throughout the Southern Highlands, Goulburn and Queanbeyan. The Queanbeyan and Goulburn clinics have replaced the mobile vaccination clinics that had been operating since May.
Vaccinations can be booked through the NSW Health website.
Residents can get Covid tests done at Bowral and District Hospital on Bowral St in Bowral or at Mittagong Respiratory Clinic on Bowral Rd in Mittagong.
Goulburn testing locations include Goulburn Base Hospital and Health Service, Goulburn Capital Pathology and a drive-through testing clinic at Seiffert Oval.
Queanbeyan residents can get tested for Covid at Queanbeyan District Hospital and Health Service, Queanbeyan Capital Pathology, and the drive-through clinic at Queanbeyan Showground park.
Friday’s update
Three new Covid cases have been reported in Goulburn as the Southern Highlands case numbers remain steady. All three cases are linked to known cases.
Goulburn currently has seven recorded Covid cases, with two cases not linked to any known source. The increase followed the announcement of new exposure sites in Goulburn and Queanbeyan with a number of cases still under investigation.
Southern Meats Goulburn was announced as a new exposure site on Wednesday after a positive Covid case was linked to the abattoir on Tuesday evening. NSW Health is currently working to identify close contacts.
Meanwhile, there have been no new Covid cases recorded today in the Southern Highlands, following yesterday’s announcement of two new Covid cases and four new exposure sites in Mittagong and Bowral.
There are currently 20 reported cases of Covid in the Wingecarribee Shire, of which 17 are under investigation for unknown sources. NSW Health has also announced four new exposure sites in Mittagong and Bowral.
Anyone who has been to the following venues of concern must immediately get tested and self-isolate until receiving a negative test result. Contact tracers will be in touch with workers and people who visited these locations as soon as possible.
Although NSW Health has not yet provided a breakdown of the case locations, the majority of the previously reported positive cases are located in the 2575 postcode. Ten of the Covid cases are located in this postcode, two in the 2576 postcode and one in the 2579 postcode.
The increase brings the total number of Covid cases to 23 since the outbreak began in June.
The latest sewage surveillance from September 7 shows there have been traces of Covid detected in the sewage of Mittagong and Bowral, but not Moss Vale.
Queanbeyan has recorded one new case which is linked to the ACT. The area currently has 12 reported cases with six under investigation to uncover their origin. NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the two new cases in Queanbeyan have been linked to an ACT workplace with no exposure sites.
Despite the rise in cases, the Deputy Premier said he hoped the numbers had peaked over the weekend and would now start to decrease.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said there has been a “slight slowdown” in the rate of vaccinations and emphasised the importance of getting vaccinated to help the state recover from the pandemic.
“Do not let your guard down,” she said.
“It’s way too early for any of us to get complacent”.
The Premier warned people who don’t get vaccinated will find themselves excluded from a number of activities as the state begins to open up.
“(I)f you’re not vaccinated, you will not have the freedom or the freedoms that vaccinated people have,” she said.
The warning comes as fully vaccinated people around NSW are granted the freedom to engage in outdoor recreation in a group of five people within their local government area. The slight reprieve for adults who have received two jabs means there will be an increase in picnics and socialising as spring approaches.
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the state government will be reviewing the regional lockdown restrictions each week. Local government areas with no cases in the community for 14 days will likely see stay-at-home orders eased, Mr Barilaro said. The two week period will be calculated from the last date of exposure to a locally transmitted Covid case.
However, the Deputy Premier noted shires surrounded by high numbers of Covid cases may not have the restrictions eased due to the continuing concern.
NSW residents are urged to continue to be vigilant for any signs of illness and to get tested if any symptoms arise.
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