Coronavirus Port Stephens, Maitland: Warning as new case hails from Sydney restaurant
Hunter residents are being told to stay away from Sydney. It comes after a confirmed case from Sydney infected a friend at Port Stephens, putting a shopping centre on high alert and causing the closure of a pub.
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Hunter residents are being told to stay away from Sydney following the latest influx of COVID-19 cases.
It comes after a Sydney man in his 20s infected a friend at Port Stephens while visiting on July 13, forcing a local shopping centre into high alert and the closure of a pub.
It’s been confirmed the Sydney case was one of 11 people infected via the Thai Rock Restaurant cluster. The local man in his 60s is now in isolation.
An East Maitland pub was closed on Wednesday for deep cleaning and for all staff to get tested, after Hunter health authorities confirmed late Tuesday the Sydney coronavirus case had visited the venue on July 13, between 6-8pm.
The Windsor Castle Hotel told it’s patrons on social media, it wasn’t a Department of Health requirement to close but they wanted “to go over and above” to ensure the safety of staff and patrons.
That same person also visited the Salamander Bay Shopping Centre in Port Stephens, who also contracted the virus and is now in isolation.
Via their website, Salamander Bay Square said it had received the news post close of trade on Tuesday that a customer had returned a positive COVID-19 test.
“At this stage, we have been informed that the customer visited Woolworths, Aldi and NewsXpress,” the statement said.
“We have not been advised of the time that the customer visited Salamander Bay Square. If we receive any further updates from the Hunter New England Local Health District, we will immediately let you know.
“Our best wishes are with this customer for a speedy recovery.”
They went on to say the centre would be receiving a deep clean overnight as a precautionary measure.
It’s prompted an alert from Hunter health authorities, warning people who attended either venue on those days, and residents and visitors to the Port Stephens area to seek testing if they’re showing flu-like symptoms.
“Don’t visit Sydney” has also been the message following a number of newly diagnosed cases which have started to pop up across the Hunter.
On Monday, it was announced a 34-year-old Hunter man who had returned from the Middle East had contracted the virus and was in hotel quarantine in Sydney.
Another two COVID-19 cases were recorded after an overseas traveller returned to Newcastle on July 5 and was diagnosed, before a week later a close contact - a 27-year-old man - was also reported to be infected.
The NSW Health COVID-19 heat map indicated those two are from Charlestown area.
Dr David Durrheim, Hunter New England Health’s Public Health Controller for the COVID-19 response, advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel to Sydney where possible and to re-test when new symptoms appear.
“If you’ve been tested in the past a single negative test doesn’t mean that if you develop new symptoms that you’re COVID-19 free,” Dr. Durrheim said.
“If you give this virus half a chance, it can spread very rapidly and even from asymptomatic people, before they develop symptoms.
“Anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough or shortness of breath, is urged to get tested.
“Even those with mild symptoms such as fatigue, new muscle aches or pains, a change in taste or smell or a new runny nose are encouraged to arrange testing.”
Newcastle Mayor Nuatali Nelmes has mirrored the sentiments of local health experts and said it’s important to follow the advice of Hunter New England Health.
The Mayor pushed the message on social media warning Newcastle residents not to travel to Sydney.
“Epidemiologists are best placed during a global pandemic to provide relevant public health updates and warnings and it’s important to take their advice,” she said.
On Wednesday, sixteen new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in NSW bringing the total number of cases across the state to 3,425.
More than 1.2 million tests have been carried out, with 51 deaths in NSW after being diagnosed with the virus.