Hunter, Upper Hunter in lockdown for one week: NSW Health officials

Two new areas outside greater Sydney have been thrown into lockdown after five Covid-19 cases linked to the city were detected.

New South Wales’ Hunter and Upper Hunter regions have been thrown into a week-long lockdown as Covid-19 spreads out of Sydney.

Five cases have been recorded in the region, including two students who tested positive at Maitland Christian School near Newcastle overnight, while high amounts of Covid-19 fragments were found in sewage in the area.

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The lockdown will come into effect at 5pm on Thursday and will last until 11.59pm on Thursday, August 12.

It comes as NSW recorded 262 locally acquired cases of Covid-19 overnight and health officials believe an illegal beach party could have been what spread the virus to the Hunter.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Minister for Health Brad Hazzard, NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant provide an update on COVID-19 in Sydney. Picture: NCA Newswire /Gaye Gerard

The Hunter region will go into lockdown from 5pm.

“The local government areas impacted are Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Cessnock, Dungog, Singleton and Muswellbrook,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

“For simplicity, we've taken a broad approach to the lockdown whilst we determine these unrecognised chains.”

The restrictions mean people in the Hunter and Upper Hunter can only leave the house for four reasons: shopping for food or other essential items; medical care or compassionate needs; exercise outdoors in groups of two; an essential work, or education.

For full details on the restrictions visit the NSW Health website.

“These community leaders and local leaders are being advised of this (lockdown),” NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said.

“That will commence at 5pm tonight and go until midnight next Thursday.

“It’s similar to what occurred in Orange and hopefully, similarly to what occurred in Orange, we'll see that community have their restrictions or stay at home orders lifted at that time.”

Nurses are seen working at the Coogee Covid-19 testing site. Picture: NCA Newswire /Gaye Gerard

Dr Chant said the five Hunter region infections were likely to have come someone from western Sydney who might have attended a beach gathering on Blacksmith Beach.

“So while the source of infection continues to be investigated, we think the source originated from a gathering on Blacksmith Beach on Friday night, believed to be the source of the initial cases, she said.

“We believe there may have been people there from greater Sydney and that's how it was introduced (to the Hunter).”

Dr Chant said she was worried for regional NSW and urged residents around the Hunter and Newcastle regions to come forward for testing even with the mildest symptoms.

“I think regional New South Wales would be very attuned to the risk of people that have come in from greater Sydney,” Dr Chant said.

Nurses are seen working at the Coogee Covid-19 testing site. Picture: NCA Newswire /Gaye Gerard

“So, yes, we are very concerned. And that's why no-one can be complacent.”

There are also fears about the virus spreading to other regional areas including Dubbo, Woy Woy and Armidale.

Fragments of Covid have been detected in the sewage systems in the three regional towns sparking fears of additional spread.

The Armidale sewage treatment plant serves about 24,000 people while the Dubbo plant has a catchment of about 37,000 people.

NSW Health said the Woy Woy plant serves about 41,300 people across a number of suburbs including Woy Woy Bay, Woy Woy, Phegans Bay, Horsfield Bay, Blackwall, Booker Bay, Ettalong Beach, Umina Beach, Pearl Beach and Patonga.

Anyone in these areas is urged to get tested if symptoms occur.