Hunter Covid: Lake Macquarie unit block in lockdown after three infections as Hunter records 10 new cases
Rolling coverage: A Lake Macquarie community housing block is in lockdown after three residents contracted Covid, while the Deputy Premier has labelled 10 new cases for the Hunter “an improvement”.
Newcastle
Don't miss out on the headlines from Newcastle. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Residents at a community housing block in Lake Macquarie have been swabbed and forced to isolate until negative results are received, after three Covid infections at the property.
Block A at the Amelie Housing property on Sturt Rd, Cardiff has been sealed off as a precaution, while the infected family has been moved to a NSW Health-managed quarantine hotel.
NSW Health notified the building manager on Monday afternoon, with health workers testing all residents from the 30 units in Block A on Tuesday.
A NSW Health spokeswoman confirmed the service was working with the building manager to ensure infection control measures were in place across the property.
“Food and other services, including daily welfare checks, will be provided to residents, should they require a 14-day quarantine period,” the spokeswoman said.
“Tailored support services will be provided to all isolated residents as needed.”
One resident, who asked not to be named, told The Newcastle News she was expecting a negative result with residents already isolating under the statewide stay-at-home order.
“I’m pretty confident that we will all be OK,” she said.
“Everyone wears a mask when taking their dogs out and keeps a distance.”
The NSW Health spokeswoman 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.”
It comes as the Hunter recorded 10 new Covid cases, taking region’s total to 126 since Delta broke out.
The new cases take the overall Hunter New England Local Health District total to 130, although no new cases were recorded in the New England region.
“Again, we are concerned, but it is an improvement on recent numbers,” Deputy Premier John Barilaro said at Tuesday’s new conference.
Of the new cases, five were from Maitland, three from Lake Macquarie and two from Newcastle.
Six were infectious in the community while nine were linked to known cases, with one under investigation.
No new cases were connected to the aged care cluster.
Statewide, 452 new locally-acquired cases were recorded, with at least 50 of those infectious while in the community.
A woman in her 70s from Sydney has died.
Meanwhile, there are fears a Newcastle church could be a major source of Covid transmission after it was exposed to the virus for five days.
An urgent alert has been issued for Redeemed Christian Church of God City of David at Waratah, with NSW Health identifying it as a close contact exposure site all day between Saturday, July 31 and Wednesday, August 4.
Anyone who was at the church at any time during that period is considered a close contact and must immediately isolate for 14 days, even if a negative Covid test result is received.
The church was initially listed as an exposure site for 16 days, from July 31 to August 15, but health officials said those dates had been revised.
“HNE Health is grateful to church members for assisting us to refine the time frame of possible exposure at the venue,” Hunter New England Health said on Facebook.
The church, located at 27 Crescent Rd, is described on its website as “a vibrant, non-denominational church where praise and worship is extravagant with an intense prayer and undiluted teaching and preaching of the word of God”.
TUESDAY’S ROLLING COVERAGE
Cardiff unit block locked down
At 5pm
Residents at a community housing block in Lake Macquarie have been swabbed and forced to isolate until negative results are received, after three Covid infections at the property.
Block A at the Amelie Housing property on Sturt Rd, Cardiff has been sealed off as a precaution, while the infected family has been moved to a NSW Health-managed quarantine hotel.
NSW Health notified the building manager on Monday afternoon, with health workers testing all residents from the 30 units in Block A on Tuesday.
HNEH releases Covid suburb breakdown
At 4pm
Hunter New England Health has revealed the suburb of every active Covid case in the Hunter.
Further charge over Shortland house party
At 11.30am
Police have charged the man alleged to have hosted a series of house parties that became Covid transmission events when they were attended by two infected women from southwest Sydney.
The man, who himself contracted the virus, has been issued a future court attendance notice for breaching the public health order.
The women were last week handed their own future court attendance notices for failing to comply with police directions under the public health order.
10 new Hunter cases
At 11am
The Hunter has recorded 10 new Covid cases, taking region’s total to 126 since Delta broke out.
The new cases take the overall Hunter New England Local Health District total to 130, although no new cases were recorded in the New England region.
“Again, we are concerned, but it is an improvement on recent numbers,” Deputy Premier John Barilaro said at Tuesday’s new conference.
Of the new cases, five were from Maitland, three from Lake Macquarie and two from Newcastle.
Six were infectious in the community while nine were linked to known cases, with one under investigation.
No new cases were connected to the aged care cluster.
Church listed as five-day exposure site
At 7.30am
New close and casual Hunter exposure sites have been identified by NSW Health.
People who attended the below venues are considered close contacts and must immediately seek testing and isolate for 14 days, and wait for advice from NSW Health:
- Redeemed Christian Church of God City of David at Waratah, all day between Saturday, July 31 and Wednesday, August 4
People who attended the below venues are considered casual contacts and must isolate until a negative test result is received:
- Nutrition Warehouse at Kotara Homemaker Centre, on Sunday, August 8 between 11.15am-11.30am
- Star Nails at Cameron Park, on Wednesday, August 4 between 4.30pm-5.30pm
More Coverage
Join the conversation
‘I’ve lost my home’: New aged crisis as waitlists explode
John Martin OAM is 90 and has nowhere to go after his aged care home shuts. He’s one of thousands who are in limbo as waitlists of elderly people needing care explode. See the video.
Read more
Newcastle sale and auction results, week ending February 15
Newcastle recorded 15 property sales over a million dollars last week, the latest auction and sales results reveal.
Read more