South coast Covid: Wollongong apartment building locked down after outbreak as Batemans Bay cluster grows
A multi-agency response is underway at an apartment building in Wollongong after five residents tested positive for COVID-19, as the Batemans Bay cluster continues to grow.
The South Coast News
Don't miss out on the headlines from The South Coast News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A multi-agency response is underway at an apartment building in Wollongong after five residents tested positive for COVID-19, as the Batemans Bay cluster continues to grow.
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District CEO Margot Mains said the building on Keira Street is “a community of residents who move between apartments and use communal areas”.
“The residents’ close and frequent interactions are similar to those in a household and, as a result, all residents of the apartment complex are considered close contacts,” she said.
“The premises will be subject to tight restrictions limiting access, and residents will be required to stay within their own rooms to assist in minimising transmission between residents of different apartments and into the wider community.
Health clinicians and other support services will be on-site at the apartment building during the isolation period, and on-site COVID-19 testing will also be available to all residents, she said.
“All residents will be closely monitored and appropriate care is being provided, including telehealth consultations, in-home medical care and transport to hospital for those needing higher levels of care,” Ms Mains said.
“Residents will also be supported to continue receiving ongoing care for pre-existing chronic health conditions and support services.
“Social support, including food supplies, personal hygiene and other essential items as well as counselling for residents is also provided by NSW Government and non-government agencies to ensure the health and wellbeing of residents.
“The community is reminded of the need for everyone to wear a face mask in shared foyer or lobby areas, lifts, stairwells and corridors, and shared laundry facilities of apartment complexes as well as regular and thorough cleaning of high-touch surfaces.”
The Southern NSW Local Health District also announced four new cases in Batemans Bay linked to the town’s growing cluster.
According to NSW Health the Batemans Bay cluster is now six active cases.
The town‘s Coles and The Reject Shop have been added to the NSW Health list of exposure sites.
Anyone who attended the Coles click and collect bays between 5 and 6pm and 6.15 and 7.15pm on September 12 must be tested and self isolate until a negative result is received.
Anyone who attended The Reject Shop between 3.45 and 4.15pm must also self isolate until a negative test is received.
Of Friday’s new cases in the Illawarra Shoalhaven - 19 cases are from the Wollongong LGA (the source of infection of eight cases are under investigation), 13 cases are from Shellharbour (eight are under investigation) and three cases are from the Shoalhaven (the sources of two are being investigated). One new case was recorded in Kiama
On Thursday, Bega state Liberal MP Andrew Constance took to social media to announce lockdown restrictions in the Bega Valley would be lifted from 1pm after two Covid cases in Merimbula were found to be false positives.
“I’m really pleased to inform you that later this morning, the Bega Valley Shire will be lifted out of lockdown on the back of having no active cases,” Mr Constance posted to Facebook on Thursday morning.
“Unfortunately in the Eurobodalla there are six active cases which mean the stay-at-home orders will have to remain in place for the time being.
“Some restrictions will remain in place for the Bega Valley in line with other regional and rural areas of NSW which are not under lockdown.”
On Wednesday, Deputy Premier John Barilaro confirmed the two cases in Merimbula are false positives.
NSW Health also advised Narooma residents with symptoms to be tested after traces of Covid-19 were found in the town’s sewage.
NSW Health’s sewage detection program has revealed fragments of the virus in the sewage treatment plant at Bermagui earlier this week.
Bega Valley Shire Mayor, Russell Fitzpatrick said this is the first detection at the Bermagui plant, which serves about 1,800 residents.
He said it is concerning that COVID fragments have now been found in all the region’s sewage treatment plants over the last four weeks.
“As more fragments are found across the shire, the possibility of there being unknown local cases increases,” he said.
“If you live in Bermagui or the surrounding areas including Wallaga Lake, Fairhaven and Akolele, or in fact anywhere in the shire, and you have the slightest hint of cold-like symptoms, you need to get tested.
“This means if you are experiencing symptoms such as headache, nausea, sore throat, runny nose, cough, loss of smell or taste, or fever, you must get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.”
Council is sending samples from the sewage treatment plants in Eden, Bermagui, Merimbula and Bega, twice weekly to NSW Health for testing.
“We need to follow the public health orders, we have to stay with it,” NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said on Wednesday.
“We have to make sure we drive home the declines we are seeing so we can see get on top of Covid.”
South Coast MP Shelley Hancock said more than 17,500 additional Pfizer doses would be available to Illawarra and Shoalhaven residents aged 12 to 59 years old as soon as next week.
Anti-lockdown protests have continued in Merimbula, where the two false positive residents were isolating at home.
NSW Police said officers were called to Ford Oval at 10.45am on September 12 after reports of an unauthorised protest.
Police said they spoke to 15 people in relation to Public Health Order breaches, and the group was issued a move-on direction.
According to police the group later gathered in Elizabeth Street and were again asked by police to return home, with “only some” agreeing to do so.
“Officers obtained details from those who remained and seven infringements will be issued for breaching public health orders, and two will be issued for not wearing a fitted face mask,” police said.
”Inquiries into the incident are continuing, with police continuing to review body worn vision and mobile phone footage to identify any further offences.”
Since the beginning of the Delta outbreak, the Illawarra Shoalhaven Health District has recorded more than 400 cases. Across the state, more than 40,000 people have tested positive to Covid-19 since June.
It comes as lockdown rules remain in place for the Illawarra and all south coast LGAs, including Bega, Eurobodalla, Shoalhaven and Kiama.
With data showing the state has not reached the peak of the Delta outbreak, hospitals are preparing for a spike in cases requiring hospitalisation, with almost 4,000 people expected to be in hospital with Covid-19 by November.
ISLHD Chief Executive Margot Mains said Wollongong Hospital was at 75 per cent capacity for level one ICU care.
A second Covid ICU is not required at this stage, however, an area dedicated for ICU two is ready and can be stood up to open within 12 hours if needed,” she said.
“This will be located within the hospital’s existing day surgery area, which has been enabled by the postponement of some non-urgent elective surgery at Wollongong Hospital
“Once ICU two is established, our capacity will increase to around 30 beds with the possibility of 40.”
A dedicated Covid ward at the hospital was only at 30 per cent capacity, but beds on the dedicated ward would increase to 70 in the next three weeks.
Mr Barilaro has said local government areas would need to record no new cases over a 14 day period before restrictions would be eased.
Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley said businesses in the region were struggling, and more support was needed to see them through lockdown, which is yet to have an end date.
“There needs to be some funding coming out of the Commonwealth to look at a JobKeeper 2.0, or even something like a universal basic income so those people who do have some hours some week, get a top up to their income,” she said.
“People are really suffering this time around.”
Ms Findley said the community needed to “remain as calm as we can” and continue to abide by the stay at home orders.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the Illawarra remained an area of concern, and encouraged residents to get vaccinated.
“A big call out to our Wollongong and Shellharbour communities; please test tested, and also take up any opportunity to get vaccinations,” she said.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has unveiled a roadmap out of restrictions when the 70 per cent double vaccination target is reached.
Ms Berejiklian announced an extensive path out of lockdown, which set to begin from Monday October 18.
She reiterated freedoms would only be for people who were vaccinated, but warned some areas could still be subject to tighter restrictions if there is a spike in cases.
“At any stage, if there is a concentration of disease in a town, suburb or LGA or an outbreak that wasn‘t anticipated, (NSW) Health can restriction movement and give advice,” Gladys Berejiklian said.
“This is to make sure we don’t have a surge which is going to put too much pressure on the hospital system.”
Oztag coach’s massive DUI reading exposed in court
An assistant Oztag coach with a history of drink driving has been busted driving with a staggering reading six times the limit on the NSW South Coast.
Man allegedly choked partner in ‘reckless’ domestic assault
A South Coast man has denied choking and threatening his partner during an alleged domestic assault which ended with him allegedly resisting arrest when the police came knocking.