Lockdown extension predicted as Hunter records six Covid cases for second day running
A Hunter MP has said he can’t see the region’s lockdown ending as scheduled on Thursday while a peak business group has warned of the crippling impact an extension would have.
Newcastle
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Stay-at-home orders look unlikely to be lifted on Thursday as the Hunter recorded its second consecutive day of six new cases, and another regional hub is plunged into lockdown.
The local government areas of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Cessnock, Dungog, Singleton and Muswellbrook were placed into lockdown at 5pm on August 5 for an initial one-week period.
The decision was made after Covid was confirmed in the region for the first time in 12 months.
Cases have continued to rise in the four days since the announcement, with some linked to the Blacksmiths Beach party, the University of Newcastle on-campus residences and two schools.
The source for others, including three new infections on Monday, were unknown and under investigation.
The Hunter’s peak business group said it feared the economic impacts if the region was kept in lockdown longer than first predicted.
“It will have a devastating impact on communities and businesses, so we urge people to take this seriously,” Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said.
“The hardest hit sectors in the Hunter region of accommodation and food service, arts and recreation alone employ around 26,860 people, provide around $21.7 million per week in wages, and generate $80.6 million in average weekly output.
“I can’t imagine these sectors sustaining extended lockdowns knowing the activity here in the Hunter was already struggling when Sydney first went into restrictions.”
Public health controller Dr David Durrheim said contracts tracers were desperately working to contain the situation in the Hunter.
“Contact tracers are sparing no efforts to contact every case and their close contacts as soon as possible, identify anybody who poses a risk to the community and make sure that they isolate,” Dr Durrheim said.
“This is a team game. It’s a very frightening game at times, but all of us have to do the right thing.
“We thank everybody who’s gone for testing. That’s part of your contribution, but equally important is making sure that at this time no one who’s been tested goes out into the community until they have the negative result.
“The Delta strain just takes off in groups, it’s very difficult to stop, it’s very transmissible and we’ve seen it get into young people who are so socially active, it can be very difficult to track down.”
Shortland federal Labor MP Pat Conroy said he couldn’t see the lockdown ending on Thursday.
“How can we end the lockdown if people wait four days for their test results, if they can get a test,” Mr Conroy said.
“We’re still trying to trace people from exposure sites from 10 days ago all because the NSW Government and the Federal Government don’t have sufficient supports in place.
“Just imagine that for a second. You’re being told that you’ve been exposed. You’re being told urgently go and get a test. You then try and find a place on a Sunday and you can’t and when you’re lucky enough to get one, get a test, you have to wait four days to get a result.”
Mr Conroy said he believed testing was delayed because of a lack of resources.
“Whether they’ve just stripped everything and sent it to Sydney for understandable reasons given the outbreak in western Sydney, or they just haven’t done sufficient co-ordination, they do not have the resources to do the testing, and that means people in my community are going to get sick because they are going to be exposed because we can’t trace the outbreaks,” he said.
“We’re seeing contact sites pop up every day that are 10 days old.
“The NSW and Federal Government have just lost complete control of the situation, and this all would have been avoided if we had a quarantine system that worked, if we had sufficient vaccines, and if Gladys had the guts to lockdown the wealthy eastern suburbs of Sydney when she had the opportunity.”
New Covid testing facilities have opened at Raymond Terrace and West Maitland to help meet demand.
Meanwhile, Tamworth has been placed in its own snap lockdown from Monday evening, despite not recording any new cases, after an infected Newcastle woman travelled to the area.
The Hunter recorded six new cases on Monday, taking the region’s total to 23 for the current outbreak, and the overall Hunter New England Local Health District total to 26.
NSW Health has been approached for comment.
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