Hunter Covid: Five new cases, regional NSW lockdown extended until at least August 28
Rolling coverage: The Hunter has recorded five new Covid cases and the regional NSW lockdown has been extended. But the Upper Hunter could be out of lockdown before the city.
Newcastle
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Deputy Premier John Barilaro has revealed local government areas in the Upper Hunter will see Covid restrictions lift next month — if case numbers remain low — despite ongoing cases in Newcastle.
Mr Barilaro said Upper Hunter LGAs would be considered separately from Newcastle and Maitland with “unique scenarios” taken into consideration.
“Parts of the state like the Upper Hunter have been in lockdown already for two weeks,” he said. “And it will make it almost four weeks by the time we get to next Saturday, in most cases.
“We have gone through two rounds of incubation and that gives us another level of confidence that there are no cases.”
The fate of extended lockdowns past the August 28 deadline comes as the Hunter recorded just five new Covid cases with all of those linked to existing infections.
“I’m pleased that all five cases in the Hunter New England were linked,” Deputy chief health officer Dr Marianne Gale said.
“It is good news.”
All five of the cases were located in the Newcastle local government area, with three from Jesmond and two from Elermore Vale.
Two were infectious in the community and two were linked to the aged care cluster.
Twenty-eight Hunter Covid patients are in hospital but none are in intensive care.
The cases take the region’s total to 146 since the beginning of the Delta outbreak, and the overall Hunter New England Local Health District total to 150. No new cases were recorded in the New England region.
Cases elsewhere in the state, particularly in the west and south coast, have prompted the regional NSW lockdown to be extended until at least August 28.
“It’s important that we stay in front of the curve and on top of the spread,” Deputy Premier John Barilaro said.
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said 50 Australian Defence Force personnel deployed to the Hunter on Wednesday were helping police monitor compliance.
“Nearly 400 people were visited up there,” Deputy Commissioner Worboys said.
“Those people who were meant to be isolating or quarantining inside their home.”
Statewide, 681 new locally-acquired cases were record, with at least 59 of those infectious in the community. A Sydney man has died.
It comes as residents of a Sturt St, Cardiff unit block have received their Covid-19 test results, after the complex was locked down on Monday amid a Covid scare.
All residents from about 30 units in Block A of the Amelie Housing property were forced into strict isolation after a family residing in the building contracted Covid.
Hunter New England Health has since confirmed all other residents have returned negative results and can leave isolation.
“They have been directed to monitor for symptoms,” a spokeswoman said.
The infected family – made up of three people – had been moved to a quarantine hotel while they recovered from the virus.
The Hunter New England Health spokeswoman on Tuesday said it was important residents of shared properties like apartment buildings wore masks and minimised contact in communal spaces.
“This situation reinforces the need for everyone living in apartment blocks to wear a face mask in shared foyer or lobby areas, lifts, stairwells and corridors, and shared laundry facilities,” she said.
“This advice applies to everyone, including residents, visitors, building managers, contractors, delivery drivers and cleaners.
Meanwhile, six new exposure sites have been identified by NSW Health, with all but one of those in the Maitland area.
Although new cases numbers in Maitland have declined in recent days, health officials are still keeping a close eye on that part of the Hunter.
Hunter New England Health public health physician Dr David Durrheim said there was now a cluster of Covid infections there.
“The East Maitland area is a concern to use because that’s the one area where we’ve had a few cases without a known link,” Dr Durrheim said.
“We’ve been able to link the vast majority of the 145 cases (as of Thursday morning), but there are still two that we haven’t been able to link in the East Maitland area.
“Don’t ignore any symptoms in that area either, you need to get tested.”
The sixth casual contact venue identified by NSW Health on Wednesday night was in Raymond Terrace.
Dr Durrheim said the Raymond Terrace and Medowie area was also being monitored, after high sewage detections last week.
“We’re looking forward to the next round of (sewage detection) results, to better understand what might be happening in that area,” he said.
“Again, don’t ignore any symptoms if you live in that area.”
MORE HUNTER COVID NEWS
- Lake Macquarie unit complex in lockdown
- Dozens attend Covid Hunter house party
- Sixth case confirmed at University of Newcastle
- Terrifying spread of Covid in aged care revealed
- Bizarre coincidence behind the Hunter’s Covid crisis
- ‘Good and bad news’ as Hunter records 15 cases
THURSDAY’S ROLLING COVERAGE
Five new Hunter cases
At 11am
The Hunter has recorded just five new Covid cases with all of those linked to existing infections.
“I’m pleased that all five cases in the Hunter New England were linked,” Deputy chief health officer Dr Marianne Gale said.
“It is good news.”
All five of the cases were located in the Newcastle local government area, with three from Jesmond and two from Elermore Vale.
Two were infectious in the community and two were linked to the aged care cluster.
Twenty-eight Hunter Covid patients are in hospital but none are in intensive care.
The cases take the region’s total to 146 since the beginning of the Delta outbreak, and the overall Hunter New England Local Health District total to 150. No new cases were recorded in the New England region.
Cases elsewhere in the state, particularly in the west and south coast, have prompted the regional NSW lockdown to be extended until at least August 28.
Sturt St residents given all-clear
At 9.30am
Residents of a Sturt St, Cardiff unit block have received their Covid-19 test results, after the complex was locked down on Monday amid a Covid scare.
All residents from about 30 units in Block A of the Amelie Housing property were forced into strict isolation after a family residing in the building contracted Covid.
NSW Health has since confirmed all other residents have returned negative results and can leave isolation.
“They have been directed to monitor for symptoms,” a spokeswoman said.
The infected family – made up of three people – had been moved to a quarantine hotel while they recovered from the virus.
Six new casual contact locations
At 8am
New casual Hunter exposure sites have been identified by NSW Health.
People who attended the below venues are considered casual contacts and must isolate until a negative test result is received:
- Tenambit Pharmacy on Friday 13 August from 11.01am to 11.03am
- Foodworks, Tenambit on Wednesday 11 August from 2pm – 2.10pm
- Your Discount Chemist, East Maitland on Thursday 12 August from 4.37pm – 5pm and Friday 13 August from 11.09am – 11.11am
- Woolworths, Marketplace Raymond Terrace on Monday 9 August from 7.21am to 10.47am
- SPAR Express Supermarket, Morpeth on Wednesday 11 August from 7.14pm – 7.16pm, Thursday 12 August from 6.36pm – 6.41pm and Friday 13 August from 7.15pm – 7.17pm
- Coles, Stockland Greenhills, East Maitland on Wednesday 11 August from 1.12pm – 1.22pm, Wednesday 11 August from 1.30pm – 1.39pm and Wednesday 11 August from 5.20pm – 5.30pm
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