Hunter Covid-19: Two aged care workers positive, 800 University of Newcastle students tested
Two aged care workers have contracted Covid, along with a public school student. And the University of Newcastle has conducted mass testing of residential students amid a campus outbreak.
Newcastle
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The Hunter has recorded 13 new Covid cases including two aged care workers, while 800 University of Newcastle students have been tested after potentially being exposed to the virus in on-campus accommodation.
The new cases took the region’s total to 36 for this outbreak, and the overall Hunter New England Local Health District total to 39, with no new cases recorded in Tamworth or Armidale.
Of the new cases, 10 were from Newcastle and three from Lake Macquarie. Ten cases were linked to known infections while the source of three was under investigation. Nine of the 13 cases were people aged under 30.
In a Tweet, Hunter New England Health said it could no longer provide more specific case details, “due to the increasing number of cases”.
Two of the infected people worked at aged care facilities Masonic Village Edgeworth and Hammond Care Waratah, prompting Public Health Controller Dr David Durrheim to call for isolation orders to be taken seriously.
“(It is) really worrying that of the 13 new cases, only one was not infectious out in the community,” Dr Durrheim said.
“We need to do better, all of us need to work together to make sure that we stop the virus from spreading.
“It’s vital at this stage that anybody who is a known close contact keeps away from any communities.
“Isolate for the full 14 days and don’t take the chance.”
In her 11am news conference, the Premier said no decision had been made on extending the Hunter’s lockdown beyond Thursday.
“We’ll take the health advice on that, there are additional cases there today,” Ms Berejiklian said.
chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant thanked the region for its strong testing turnout.
“We have had additional cases in relation to Newcastle and there are a number of exposure venues that have been added,” Dr Chant said.
“Thank you to the Newcastle community for coming out for testing in such high numbers.”
The were 356 new locally-acquired cases across the state, with around one third of those infectious while in the community.
The University of Newcastle’s drive-through clinic was closed to the public on Tuesday for student testing, but is expected to return to normal operation on Wednesday.
Five cases have now been linked to the university cluster.
“The University of Newcastle is grateful to NSW Health for prioritising Covid testing for students living at the Callaghan campus,” a university spokeswoman said in a statement.
“On Tuesday, August 10, the Covid-19 testing clinic at the University of Newcastle will open exclusively to test student residents of University of Newcastle residential facilities Barahineban, Evatt House, North Residence, South Residence, East Residence, and West Residence.
“Around 800 students who live on campus, excluding International House, are expected to undertake this testing.
“Fifty student residents will be tested every 30 minutes throughout the day. Analysis will be prioritised so that students get their results as quickly as possible.”
The spokeswoman said students from International House, where the cases have been detected, would be tested separately.
“NSW Health is arranging a dedicated testing team to set up a testing clinic for student residents of the International House this week,” she said.
“This one-day pop-up testing site will be for current student residents of International House and will be set up very close to their accommodation.
“All student residents currently in International House will need to remain in isolation regardless of their test result.”
The university cluster included a young woman who travelled to her hometown of Tamworth while unknowingly infected, forcing the regional hub into a snap lockdown.
Staff and students from Fennell Bay Public School have been told to isolate after a pupil tested positive for Covid.
“The NSW Department of Education has been advised by NSW Health that a student at Fennell Bay Public School has tested positive for Covid-19,” the school said in a Facebook post on Tuesday evening.
“Our school will be non-operational on Wednesday, August 11 2021 for the on-site attendance of students, staff and visitors to allow time for contact tracing and cleaning.
“All staff and students are asked to self-isolate until you receive further advice.
“NSW Health has requested anyone who has been unwell or if you develop any symptoms such as a fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of smell/taste, muscle/joint pains, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting or extreme tiredness to be tested at one of the Covid-19 testing clinics.”
Two other primary schools were closed on Tuesday after members of their communities contracted the virus.
Shortland Public School announced it would be non-operational while deep cleaning took place.
“The NSW Department of Education has been advised by NSW Health that a member of the Shortland Public School community has tested positive for Covid-19,” the school said in a Facebook post.
“Our school will be non-operational on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 for the on-site attendance of students, staff and visitors to allow time for contact tracing and cleaning.”
The notification came just hours after Jesmond Public School made a similar post on its Facebook page, confirming a student had contracted the virus.
“The safety and wellbeing of our staff and students is of paramount importance to us at all times. As such we will continue to work closely with NSW Health to ensure that all necessary health advice is adhered to,” the post said.
“While we recognise this will be disruptive and inconvenient for families, it is important that we follow NSW Health advice and take all necessary precautions to minimise the risk of further transmission to support our community.”
TUESDAY’S ROLLING COVERAGE:
Covid at Fennell Bay Public School
At 5.30pm
Staff and students from Fennell Bay Public School have been told to isolate after a pupil tested positive for Covid.
“The NSW Department of Education has been advised by NSW Health that a student at Fennell Bay Public School has tested positive for Covid-19,” the school said in a Facebook post on Tuesday evening.
“Our school will be non-operational on Wednesday, August 11 2021 for the on-site attendance of students, staff and visitors to allow time for contact tracing and cleaning.
“All staff and students are asked to self-isolate until you receive further advice.
“NSW Health has requested anyone who has been unwell or if you develop any symptoms such as a fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of smell/taste, muscle/joint pains, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting or extreme tiredness to be tested at one of the Covid-19 testing clinics.”
Pubs added to alert list
At 4pm
Three licensed venues have been named exposure sites after they were visited by the Blacksmiths Beach party group.
Hunter Public Health Controller Dr David Durrheim said in the “belated” information was “extremely disappointing”.
“This is an urgent call out to anyone who was there (at those venues),” Dr Durrheim said.
“Immediately get tested, isolate and wait for a negative result.”
People who attended the below venues are considered casual contacts and must isolate until a negative test result is received:
- The Great Northern Hotel Newcastle on Friday, July 30 from 7pm-8pm
- Babylon Newcastle on Friday, July 30 from 8.05pm-8.30pm
- The Cambridge Hotel Newcastle on Friday, July 30 from 8.45pm-3am
A bus route has also been named an exposure site.
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:
- Bus 269 Booragul to Warners Bay on Tuesday, August 3 from 10.15am-10.27am, Wednesday, August 4 from 10.18am-10.29am, and Thursday, August 5 from 10.16am-10.28am
Residents urged to dob in rule breakers
At 3.30pm
Police across the Hunter handed out 39 fines to people breaching Public Health Orders on Monday:
Hunter Valley – 6
Port Stephens-Hunter – 8
Newcastle City – 10
Lake Macquarie – 15
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna APM encouraged the public to report people breaking the law, such as by moving from lockdown zones or not wearing masks.
“We really do encourage members of the community that if they believe someone is breaching a Public Health Order or not doing the right thing, to contact police immediately,” Asst Comm. McKenna said.
“You can contact through Crime Stoppers or your local police station.
“We’re getting hundreds and hundreds of calls from members of the community about breaches of Public Health Orders and we’re investigating every single one of them.
“Where we have found there was a breach, we will be taking action.”
Asst Comm. McKenna said the Blacksmiths Beach party remained the subject of a police investigation.
New testing clinic at Wickham
At 3pm
A new drive-through testing clinic will open at Passmore Oval, Wickham on Wednesday.
The facility will operate Monday-Saturday, 7.30am-4pm.
No bookings or referrals will be required.
“Newcastle needs to keep its testing rates high to detect any cases of community transmission,” Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“The last thing we need is to deter Novocastrians from coming forward for testing due to long wait times or the fear of being turned away.”
Woolworths added to exposure list
At 1pm
Woolworths Jesmond has been identified as a Covid exposure site.
Anyone who was at the store on Tuesday, August 3 from 3.05pm-3.25pm, Thursday, August 5 from 7.30pm-7.45pm, Friday, August 6 from 5pm-5.15pm, or Saturday, August 7 from 8.30pm-8.40pm, must seek testing and isolate until a negative result is received.
The supermarket joins the list of recent exposure venues named 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:
- Bus 269 Teralba to Warners Bay on Tuesday, August 3 between 10.45am-11am, and Thursday, August 5 between 10.45am-11am
- Air Locker Training Kotara on Monday, August 2 between 8.15am-9.15am, and Tuesday, August 3 between 6.15am-7.15am
- Subway Warners Bay on Tuesday, August 2 between 11am-5pm, Wednesday, August 4 between 11.30am-5pm, and Friday, August 5 between 11am-6pm
- Wests New Lambton (lower alfresco gaming area, main bar and Hopsmith bar smoking area) on Wednesday, August 4 between 7.50pm-10pm
- Habesha Ethiopian Restaurant, The Junction any time from Saturday, July 31 to Thursday, August 5
- Mr Rice Takeaway, Cooks Hill on Wednesday, August 4 from 3.00pm-3.20pm
People who attended the below venues are considered casual contacts and must isolate until a negative test result is received:
- Woolworths Jesmond on Tuesday, August 3 from 3.05pm-3.25pm, Thursday, August 5 from 7.30pm-7.45pm, Friday, August 6 from 5pm-5.15pm, or Saturday, August 7 from 8.30pm-8.40pm
- Big W Charlestown Square on Wednesday, August 4 from 9.16am-10am
- Coles Warners Bay Village Shopping Centre on Tuesday, August 3 from 10.45am-10.47am
- Aldi Newcastle West on Tuesday, August 3 from 9.25am-9.30am
- Newcastle Basketball Stadium Broadmeadow on Tuesday, August 3 from 8.30pm-9.30pm
- McDonald’s Charlestown Square on Thursday, July 29 between 5.05pm-5.45pm
- Coles Medowie on Wednesday, August 4 from 6.19pm-6.35pm
- Coles Toronto on Monday, August 2 from 4.45pm-5.15pm
- Coles Wallsend on Monday, August 2 from 5.25pm-5.35pm
- Aldi Raymond Terrace on Thursday, August 5 from 4.05am-4.30am
Regional travel restrictions
At 11.30am
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the government was looking at ways to reduce the spread of Covid by people travelling to regional areas.
“It is difficult in regards to (people having) houses in different areas,” Mr Hazzard said.
“I’ve said to our legal department to look at what we can do.
“Clearly the rule is now that you shouldn’t travel from one house to another just for the sake moving.
“You can’t legislate against arrogance, stupidity and entitlement.”
chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said it was her advice to further restrict regional travel.
“I’m not in the position to understand the operational impacts of how you would do it,” Dr Chant said.
“So that’s been passed on to police and police have put in an increased regime of compliance.”
Hunter records 13 new cases
At 11am
The Hunter has recorded 13 new Covid cases overnight, taking the region’s total to 36 for this outbreak.
The new cases take the overall Hunter New England Local Health District total to 39, with no new cases recorded in Tamworth or Armidale.
Of the new cases, 10 were from Newcastle and three from Lake Macquarie. Ten cases were linked to known infections while the source of three was under investigation. Nine of the 13 cases were people aged under 30.
New Lake Macquarie testing facility
At 10.30am
A new drive-through testing facility will open at Speers Point Park to help meet demand.
The facility is expected to be operational from Wednesday, and will run 8am-4pm Monday to Saturday.
Incoming traffic will travel north along TC Frith Ave, turn left onto Seventh St and then on a circuit along Creek Reserve Rd into the car park.
“We’ve had reports of extended wait times at testing sites throughout the Hunter region over the weekend,” Lake Macquarie mayor Kay Fraser said.
“We don’t want this to be a barrier for people to get tested, and for this reason we have worked as quickly as possible with NSW Health, NSW Police and Transport for NSW to find a viable new testing location.”
Motel converted to quarantine facility
At 10am
Health authorities have set up a makeshift quarantine hub at a budget Hamilton hotel to house Covid-19 close contacts who have nowhere else to go while they isolate.
The Tudor Inn was surrounded by police tape and health workers, some in PPE coveralls, again on Monday, with an unknown number of people quarantined inside as they either await a negative test or wait out their isolation periods.
One testing clinic opens, another one closes
At 7.30am
A new Covid testing clinic has opened to service the Raymond Terrace community.
The clinic at Lakeside Sports Complex will operate from 8am-6pm, seven days a week.
Meanwhile, the University of Newcastle testing clinic will be closed to the public on Tuesday while 800 students are tested, amid a Covid outbreak in the on-campus residences.
The facility is expected to return to normal operation on Monday.
Two schools closed on Tuesday
At 7am
Shortland Public School and Jesmond Public School have closed for deep cleaning, after members of their communities tested positive for Covid.
Both schools made notifications via Facebook on Monday.
“The NSW Department of Education has been advised by NSW Health that a member of the Shortland Public School community has tested positive for COVID-19,” Shortland Public School said in a Facebook post on Monday night.
“Our school will be non-operational on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 for the on-site attendance of students, staff and visitors to allow time for contact tracing and cleaning.”
Jesmond Public School made a similar post earlier in the day.
“The safety and wellbeing of our staff and students is of paramount importance to us at all times. As such we will continue to work closely with NSW Health to ensure that all necessary health advice is adhered to,” the school said on Facebook.
“While we recognise this will be disruptive and inconvenient for families, it is important that we follow NSW Health advice and take all necessary precautions to minimise the risk of further transmission to support our community.”
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