More than 320 people have been tested for COVID-19 in the first hour of the drive-through clinic that opened at Taree Showground today, October 18.
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The drive-through/walk-in clinic is operating seven days a week from 8am to 4pm, appointments are not required and it is open to all ages.
The large uptake in testing comes as 13 new COVID-19 cases in the MidCoast LGA in the 24 hours to 8pm Sunday night were announced by Hunter New England (HNE) Health on Monday, October 18.
Of those cases four were in Taree, three in Tuncurry, two in Forster, two in Wingham, one in Nabiac and one in North Arm Cove.
A total of 63 cases of were diagnosed in HNE Health District.
This brings the total number of cases in the district to 2260 since August 5, 2021.
A previously reported case on 17 October has since been excluded.
Of the other LGAs in the HNE Health District, 15 cases are from Lake Macquarie LGA, 12 are from Newcastle LGA, 11 are from Maitland LGA, six are from Cessnock LGA, two are from Port Stephens LGA, two are from Tamworth LGA, and one each from Singleton and Muswellbrook LGAs.
Twenty-six cases were in isolation for their entire infectious period, 30 were infectious in the community, and seven are still under investigation.
Thirty-nine cases are linked to known exposures or clusters, 17 are unlinked, and the source of seven cases are under investigation.
Sadly, a woman in her 30s died with COVID 19 in John Hunter Hospital. She was unvaccinated and had underlying health conditions.
Anyone who is currently isolating in the community with COVID-19, is encouraged to call for an ambulance should they experience a deterioration in their condition, including breathlessness and dizziness.
Exposure venues
New casual contact venues have been confirmed. The latest exposure sites are published on the HNE Health Facebook page and the NSW government website.
Anyone who attended the following new venues listed at the specified dates and times is a casual contact (unless they have been contacted by NSW Health as close contacts) and must get tested and isolate until a negative test result is received.
| Bellbird Hotel, 388 Wollombi Road, Bellbird
- Wednesday October 13 from 3.25pm to 4.30pm
| Discount Drug Store, Tamworth Shopping Village, Robert Street, Tamworth
- Thursday October 7 from 3pm to 3.45pm
- Friday October 8 from 10.40am to 11.05am
NSW Health alerts close contacts of all confirmed cases and directs them to be tested and self-isolate for 14 days from last contact, regardless of the result.
Anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough or shortness of breath, is urged to immediately get tested. Even people with mild symptoms, such as fatigue, new muscle aches or pains, headache, a change in taste or smell or a new runny nose, should arrange testing as quickly as possible.
All testing sites can be located via www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/health-and-wellbeing/clinics.
Those who have also attended any of the exposure sites listed on the HNE Health Facebook page and the NSW government website at the specified times and dates should also get tested, regardless if they have symptoms or not and follow the NSW Health directions.
We continue to urge people to come forward for vaccination (providing they are not cases, contacts of cases, are not isolating, and do not have symptoms).
Bookings can be made via the Commonwealth Government's COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder.
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