There were no COVID-19 cases reported for the Mid North Coast in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday (August 23).
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Mid North Coast Local Health District has been notified of a new venue of concern associated with a confirmed case of COVID-19 who transited through the region.
Anyone who attended the following venue at the times listed is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received. Please continue to monitor for symptoms and immediately isolate and get tested if they develop:
- Puma Kempsey, 629 Pacific Highway, Kempsey - Friday 20 August, 12.04pm to 12.10pm
MNCLHD chief executive Stewart Dowrick said all close contacts have been contacted and informed as part of normal contract tracing processes. They must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.
Anyone else who has been at the venues at the date and time listed is considered a casual contact.
Benn Farrawell, a spokesperson at the service centre, said the visit by the transiting truck driver has been extensively reviewed.
"He walked in through the truckies entrance and straight up to our counter. He checked in and ordered," Mr Farrawell said.
"He was always wearing a surgical style mask and never touched or lowered it. He did not touch any of the surfaces of the store. He stood well back from the counter
"He paid by credit card and left straight out the truckies exit to the truck park.
"There were no other customers in the food court at this time. Those staff who needed to be tested have now done so."
There are just two COVID cases on the Mid North Coast, both in South Kempsey. Both remain in isolation and under the care of NSW Health.
Meanwhile, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has confirmed that repeat sewage sampling conducted on August 21 at its Port Macquarie wastewater treatment plant returned a negative result for virus fragments.
Read more:
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said NSW had already hit six million COVID vaccinations.
That equals about 60 per cent of the population across the state having received one dose, she said.
Ms Berejiklian said she would announce on "Thursday or Friday" what extra freedom fully vaccinated NSW residents would be given from September as a result.
"In terms of the regions, many areas are settling down and stabilising, but western NSW remains our concern."
Of today's statistics, 134 are linked to a known case or cluster, 108 are household contacts and 26 are close contacts. Investigations continue in more than 600 cases.
The 24 hours to 8pm Monday was a fatality but 608 people with COVID-19 have been hospitalised admitted, 107 people of them in intensive care and 34 of them on ventilators.
Deputy premier John Barilaro said western NSW remains a great concern with 36 cases overnight, 23 of those in Dubbo.
In the far west, there were another 14 cases in Wilcannia.
There was one case in Newcastle and three on the Central Coast.
Mr Barilaro said vaccination must be front of mind for regional communities. He praised Walcha, west of Port Macquarie, as a community that has already reached a 49.2 per cent double dose vaccination rate.
He said mass vaccination days in communities like those in Armidale, Inverell and Moree will roll out across the state.
Victoria recorded 50 cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to midnight yesterday, of which only 11 were in isolation throughout their infectious period.
On the Mid North Coast
THE Mid North Coast's COVID case numbers remain at just two, with both cases remaining in isolation in South Kempsey with their families.
Mid North Coast Local Health District said investigations are ongoing.
There are now five venues of concern on the Mid North Coast. Three are linked to the two local cases, while two are linked to a COVID positive person who transited through the area.
Anyone who attended Bunnings or Little Shack in Port Macquarie; Coles in Belgrave Street, Kempsey; the BP Nambucca Heads; or the Puma service centre at Kempsey at the dates and times listed is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.
- Little Shack Cafe, 1 Munster Street (on the Town Green), Port Macquarie - Saturday 14 August, 2pm to 3.30pm
- Bunnings Warehouse, 18 John Oxley Drive, Port Macquarie - Saturday 14 August, 3.45pm to 4.05pm
- Coles, Belgrave Street, Kempsey - Tuesday 17 August, 11.45am and 12.10pm.
- BP Nambucca Heads, 2 Corkwood Road, Valla - Thursday 19 August, 2pm to 2.15pm
- Puma Kempsey, 629 Pacific Highway, Kempsey - Friday 20 August, 12.04pm to 12.10pm
All close contacts have been contacted and informed as part of normal contract tracing processes.
They must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.
Anyone else who has been at the venues at the date and times listed is considered a casual contact, must get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.
Repeat sewage sampling conducted on August 21 at the Port Macquarie wastewater treatment plant returned a negative result for virus fragments.
Get tested
Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) has advised that the drive through COVID-19 testing clinic at Port Macquarie Regional Stadium on Boundary Street is now open extended hours from 8am to 6pm daily.
There is also a drive through testing site at Kempsey's Riverside Park reserve at the Austral Street boat ramp open to 8am-6pm weekdays and 8am-4pm on weekends.
MNCLHD urges anyone feeling unwell with even with the mildest of symptoms to come forward for testing.
To find a testing clinic near you, visit the NSW Government website www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/health-and-wellbeing/clinics
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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