THE Mid North Coast will join the rest of NSW and remain in lockdown until at least August 28.
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It comes after NSW reported another record day of COVID cases with 681 people diagnosed with the virus and another death.
A man in his 80s who had received a dose of a vaccine died in a St George hospital. The NSW Premier said the man had underlying health issues.
There is one positive case of COVID reported in Kempsey - a 14-year-old girl tested positive on Tuesday (August 17) after returning home from Newcastle where she was visiting family.
This case ends the region's 478 COVID-free run.
Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) reported on Thursday that so far, there are no exposure sites or areas of concern linked to this case but investigations will continue.
The girl and her family remain in isolation.
At noon today (August 19) a drive-through COVID testing clinic will open at Riverside Park, Kempsey and will operate until 6pm. The station will then be open from 8am to 6pm weekdays and 8am to 4pm on weekends. It will also accept walk-ins.
NSW Health also reported that virus fragments have been detected in the sewage at Forster, Bateau Bay and Yamba.
A young woman is in isolation in Forster with COVID-19. She contracted the virus in Newcastle.
Sewage surveillance continues at five sites across the Mid North Coast. Moves will be made to try and include Kempsey as regional wastewater testing site.
"Kempsey was not considered an area of concern. But we do need to review (sewage surveillance sites) all the time," MNCLHD chief executive Stewart Dowrick said.
Virus fragment testing began at wastewater treatment plants on the Mid North Coast in October 2020.
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Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the entire state would now be in lockdown for at least another nine days.
"Given the outbreak in western New South Wales and a few cases elsewhere throughout the regions, the lockdown in a regional NSW will align with the rest of NSW until at least August 28," Ms Berejiklian said.
"Regional New South Wales will also remain in lockdown as a precaution for this time, there are vast areas of regional NSW where there are not any cases, but everybody would appreciate and expect us to take a precautionary response."
In the Premier's briefing, highlight announcements included:
- 110,000 received a vaccination yesterday.
- 53 per cent of the eligible population across NSW has now received at least one dose of the vaccine.
- 119,000 were tested for coronavirus yesterday
- There were 681 cases of community transmission in the 24 hours to 8 o'clock last night
- There was one death - a man aged in his 80s.
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Newcastle was the only Hunter local government area to add fresh cases in Thursday's announcement, with all five of Hunter New England's fresh cases within the city.
Hunter New England Health said two were infectious in the community, two are linked to the aged care clusters and all five are linked.
Deputy premier John Barilaro said the numbers, like 25 new cases in western NSW, dictated the need for lockdown in the region's to roll on.
He also flagged additional cases in the Hunter since the 8pm cut-off for Thursday's figures.
"Since the 8pm reporting period overnight we know that we've got more cases in western NSW, southern NSW ... and Hunter New England," he said.
"My message to everybody continues to be to make sure we stay vigilant."
The reasons you may leave your home
- Shopping for food or other essential goods and services.
- Medical care or compassionate needs (people can leave home to have a COVID-19 vaccination unless you have been identified as a close contact).
- Exercise outdoors in groups of two or fewer (unless members of the same household).
- Every employer across NSW must require their employees to work from home unless it is not reasonably practicable.
- You can only move around in your own local government area (LGA) for essential purposes including shopping and exercise. If you must leave your LGA to do either of these, you must not go any further than 5kms from your home into another LGA.
Schooling will be done from home in most cases.
Masks must be worn indoors (not including the home) and in outdoor settings where you cannot socially distance from others. Anyone who leaves their home must carry a mask with them at all times.
Get vaccinated
The Mid North Coast Local Health District is vaccinating its staff and eligible members of the community when appointments become available.
The local health district has moved its COVID-19 vaccination clinic from Port Macquarie Base Hospital to 35 Grant Street.
Go to the online COVID-19 vaccine eligibility checker to find out when and where you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
You can also speak with your local participating pharmacist or GP about the vaccine that is right for you.
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