NSW Health and Hunter New England Health COVID update

NSW Health reported today (August 8), one new case has been confirmed in Armidale, a household contact of the two cases reported yesterday.

Four new cases in the Newcastle area are young people - two linked to the Blacksmith Beach gathering and two to the University of Newcastle.

There are also new cases in a student at Morisset High School, who is a close contact of a previously reported case, and man in his 30s from Raymond Terrace - the source of his infection is under investigation.

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New restrictions have been introduced for the Armidale Regional local government area, including the towns of Armidale and Guyra, effective until 12.01am Sunday, August 15.

Following updated health advice from NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant, stay-at-home orders apply to all people who live in these areas or have been there on or after July 29.

The rules are the same as those in place across Greater Sydney, including the Central Coast, and Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Singleton, Dungog, Muswellbrook and Cessnock.

NSW recorded 262 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

There were another six overseas acquired cases.

Eighty-six cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period and 26 were in isolation for part of their infectious period. Forty-six cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of 104 remains under investigation.

Sadly, another death has been recorded. A woman in her 80s, who had been a resident at the Wyoming Residential Aged Care Facility in Summer Hill, died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

This brings to 28 the number of COVID-related deaths during the current outbreak, and to 84 the number of lives lost since the beginning of the pandemic.

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