Hunter Covid: Region records 10 new cases on Saturday, six infectious in the community
The Hunter has recorded 10 new Covid cases, six were infectious in the community.
Newcastle
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Ten more people have contracted Covid-19 in the Hunter, New England region, taking the total number of cases since August 5 to 285.
Five are from the Lake Macquarie Local Government Area, four are from Newcastle and one is from the Port Stephens region.
Six cases were infectious in the community.
Seven are linked to known exposures or family clusters, while three cases are still under investigation.
It comes as NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced 1599 cases across the state to 9pm Friday.
In the Hunter region, a number of new casual contact venues have been confirmed.
Anyone who attended any of the new venues listed on the specified dates and times is a casual contact (unless they have been contacted by NSW Health as close contacts) and must get tested and isolate until a negative test result is received:
- BWS, Cardiff
Friday, September 3 from 10.35am – 10.45am
- Chemist Warehouse, Mayfield
Thursday, September 9 from 5.05pm to 5.25pm
- BWS, Warners Bay
Monday, September 6 from 3.45pm – 3.55pm
- Woolworth, Nelson Bay (there has been confirmed transmission at this venue)
Tuesday, August 31 from 5am – 2pm
- Wednesday September 1 from 8am – 5pm
Thursday, September 2 from 8am – 4pm
- Services Australia (Centrelink), Nelson Bay
Monday, August 30 from 9.25am to 9.45am and 2.00pm to 2.30pm
FRIDAY
13 new Hunter Covid cases, seven infectious
The Hunter has recorded 13 new Covid cases, with seven of those infectious in the community.
The cases were at Anna Bay, Fingal Bay, Fern Bay, Heatherbrae, Nelson Bay, Shoal Bay, Soldiers Point, Wyee Point, Murrays Beach and Singleton.
Eight of the cases were linked to known infections. Ten Hunter people are in hospital with Covid but none are in intensive care.
The cases that the Hunter New England Local Health District total to 275 since the beginning of the Delta outbreak. Of those, 138 cases remain active.
Statewide, 1542 new cases were recorded and nine people from Sydney and the Central Coast have died.
THURSDAY:
12 new Hunter Covid cases, community remains in lockdown
By Jake McCallum, September 9, 2021
The Hunter has seen 12 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the 24-hours to 8pm Wednesday, as 1405 cases of Covid-19 were recorded across the state.
It comes as Deputy Premier John Barilaro revealed The Hunter and Newcastle wouldn’t reopen from lockdowns on September 10 following continued cases across the community.
“Local Government Areas (LGAs) still seeing Covid case numbers will continue to follow stay-at-home orders and will be monitored by NSW Health with updates provided as circumstances develop,” he said.
“Regional communities are doing an incredible job following health advice and getting vaccinated which has made the easing of lockdown in some areas possible.
“While unfortunately many regional LGAs will remain in lockdown due to Covid case numbers, for other parts of the state, stay-at-home orders will be lifted allowing more freedoms for those communities.”
Mr Barilaro said the decision is based on NSW Health advice, and the LGAs which remain in lockdown will continue to be monitored and we will update those communities regularly.
“My strong advice to everyone in regional NSW is to get vaccinated as soon as you can,” he said. “Our communities need to continue to get vaccinated so that when NSW reaches 70 and 80 per cent, restrictions can ease significantly.”
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said while people who are fully-vaccinated against Covid-19 will be provided freedoms when the state reaches 70 per cent double dose — if outbreaks or spikes occur residents will be restricted to their local government area.
Four people were diagnosed in the Port Stephens local government area. All four were infectious in the community from Nelson Bay. A further two cases were reported in the suburb of Adamstown Heights, one in North Lambton and one in Kotara in the Newcastle LGA.
Three cases were also recorded in the Lake Macquarie LGA. One case was from Catherine Hill Bay, one in Dora Creek and one in Woodrising.
One case was also recorded in the Cessnock LGA in the suburb of Heddon Greta. The case is a contractor working at the Mount Pleasant mine near Muswellbrook, and a close contact of another contractor on the Rail Loop project recorded as Covid-positive on Wednesday.
A Hunter New England Health spokeswoman said anyone who attended Woolworths, Nelson Bay on Monday August 30 from 7.20pm to 7.35pm and Wednesday September 1 from 6.15pm to 6.40pm, Woolworths Medowie from 6pm to 6.15pm on August 31 and 9.55am to 10.25am on September 3, and Woolworths Stockland Greenhills on August 29 from 11.40am to 12pm and September 3 from 10.30am to 10.45am should be tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.
WEDNESDAY:
11 new Hunter cases, mine contractor positive
By Emily Burley and Fiona Killman, September 8, 2021
The Hunter has recorded 11 new Covid infections including a mystery case who worked at an Upper Hunter coal mine.
The region’s cases were from Wyee Point, Swansea Heads, Salamander Bay, Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay, Shortland, Tarro and Dungog.
Eight of the cases were linked to known infections. Cases at Wyee Point, Salamander Bay and Dungog were unlinked. Five were infectious in the community.
Nine Hunter people are in hospital with Covid, and one person is in intensive care.
The cases take the Hunter New England Local Health District total to 250 since the beginning of the Delta outbreak on August 5. Of those, 123 cases remain active.
Statewide, 1480 new cases were recorded and nine people from Greater Sydney and Western NSW have died.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed a contractor who worked at an Upper Hunter coal mine was among cases recorded.
The contractor worked on the Rail Loop Project at the MACH Energy Mount Pleasant Operation.
“The site continues to follow (its Covid-19) protocol, which includes contact tracing and deep cleaning in and around the Rail Loop construction area,” MACH Energy said in a statement.
“All other operational activities, including mining, processing and train loading, continue as normal.”
Hunter New England Health has revealed the worker from Dungog was staying in Muswellbrook while infectious in the community.
“This is a new thing and we understand that people in the Upper Hunter will be concerned,” public health physician Dr David Durrheim said.
“The most important thing that you can do is to take proactive action and make sure that if you have any symptoms … don’t hesitate, immediately go and get tested and isolate until you get a negative result.
“This is the only way that we’ll be able to ensure that we don’t see further spread in the Upper Hunter.”
An outbreak in the Upper Hunter would ruin the region’s chances of being released from lockdown.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro confirmed he would be fighting for the Upper Hunter to be released from lockdown on September 10 when the NSW crisis cabinet meet.
“We have no cases in the Upper Hunter, none in Singleton or Muswellbrook,” Mr Barilaro said.
“Just because you are close to an LGA with cases is not enough to keep it closed. If there is a case in the future, we will lock down the area.”
Mr Barilaro said the rest of the Hunter would not be released from lockdown this weekend.
Exposure sites:
People who visited the below venues at the specified times are considered casual contacts and must isolate until a negative test result is received.
- IGA Shoal Bay on Thursday 26 August from 1.40pm-1.55pm and Sunday 29 August from 5.50pm-6pm
- Good Health Greenhills, East Maitland on Friday 3 September from 10.20am-10.25am
- BWS Mayfield on Saturday 4 September from 6.45pm-6.50pm
- Costi Fish Market, East Maitland on Tuesday 31 August from 3.15pm-3.20pm, Wednesday 1 September from 3.20pm-3.30pm, Thursday 2 September from 1.55pm-2pm, and Friday 3 September from 10.40am-10.50am
- Chemist Outlet, Thornton on Tuesday 31 August from 3.30pm-3.36pm
- Westpac, Nelson Bay (Magnus St) on Friday 27 August from 12.39pm-12.44pm
TUESDAY:
‘Buying time’: Covid elimination unlikely for Hunter
By Emily Burley, September 7, 2021
The Hunter’s top doctor has issued a dire warning, telling the region it’s unlikely to return to Covid-zero.
Hunter New England Health public health physician Dr David Durrheim said suppression efforts were being outweighed by new introductions of the virus from Sydney.
“Obviously we are going to do everything that we can to find every case, all of their contacts and isolate people to suppress this virus,” Dr Durrheim said.
“(We’re) buying time, precious time, for members of the community to get vaccinated.
“Can we eliminate the virus in Hunter New England? Probably not.
“We’ve seen multiple importations every week from Sydney, some of them legal and some of them less legal, and we’ve also seen importations now more recently from the Central Coast.”
Dr Durrheim urged people to get vaccinated as “the only way out” of the pandemic.
The warning came as the Hunter has recorded seven new Covid cases, including one at Booral in the Mid-Coast Council area.
The other cases were at Hillsborough, Cooranbong, Shoal Bay, Thornton and Elermore Vale.
Four were infectious in the community and five were linked to known infections.
Seven Hunter people are in hospital with one in intensive care.
The new cases take the Hunter New England Local Health District total to 239 for this outbreak. Of those, 109 cases remain active.
MONDAY:
Covid in Hunter dips to five cases
By Amy Ziniak, September 6, 2021
There has been a dip in Covid cases across the Hunter, with five fresh cases, all infectious in the community.
It takes the total number of cases in the Hunter New England Health region in the current outbreak to 232, including 105 active cases.
Three cases recorded are from Lake Macquarie, including one in Cardiff, and linked to a worksite exposure.
One was from Macquarie Hills. This case was unlinked and investigations are ongoing, while another one was recorded in Toronto and linked to a positive family member.
One case was in Port Stephens in Nelson Bay, and linked to the Shoal Bay cluster.
The final case was from Maitland in Chisolm and has been linked to a workplace exposure.
All were infectious in the community.
Eight of the total active cases are currently being cared for in hospital and one is in ICU.
439 close contacts are in isolation.
It comes as NSW records 1281 cases with over 134,000 tests across the state. There has been five deaths including two men in their 90s and 60s and three women, two in their 80s and one in their 50s.
Exposure sites:
New exposure venues in the Hunter, including a Bunnings in Port Stephens, have been identified overnight by NSW Health.
It comes as concerns heighten for the Port Stephens area, with a number of new cases popping up, Hunter New England Health urging people in the local government area to get tested.
On Sunday, seven cases were announced in Port Stephens, while there were ten cases recorded on Saturday.
Anyone who attended a number of venues at specific times and dates are considered casual contacts, unless contacted by NSW Health as close contacts, and must get tested and isolate until they receive a negative test result.
- Cellarbrations bottle shop, Shoal Bay Country Club on Monday August 30 from 4.40pm-4.50pm and Wednesday September 1 from 3.05pm-3.10pm
- Bunnings, Taylors Beach on Friday August 27 from 3.55pm-4.30pm and Wednesday September 1 from 10.35am-10.45am
- Subway, Thornton on Friday September 3 from 1.20pm-1.30pm
- BP Beresfield, John Renshaw Drive on Friday September 3 from 1.20pm-1.30pm
A complete list of exposure sites can be found on the NSW Health website: https://bit.ly/NSW_CaseLocations
WHERE TO GET TESTED https://bit.ly/3yevruF
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