COVID-19 State of Play December 2021: New South Wales & Northern Rivers region

According to NSW Health NSW there were 325 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one COVID-19 related death in the 24 hours to 8pm Friday 3 December 2021.

Of the 325 cases reported to 8pm last night, 100 are from South Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 70 rom Western Sydney LHD, 47 from South Eastern Sydney LHD, 34 from Sydney LHD, 19 from Northern Sydney LHD, 14 from Western NSW LHD, 12 from Hunter New England LHD, 9 from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, 5 from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 3 from Central Coast LHD, 3 from Northern NSW LHD, 2 from Southern NSW LHD, one from Far West NSW LHD, one from Mid North Coast LHD, one from Murrumbidgee LHD, and 4 are yet to be assigned to a LHD.

From 1 December to 3 December 2021 there were 993 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection and one death in New South Wales. Included in this figure were 5 new confirmed COVID-19 Omicron Variant infections.

There are now a total of 13 cases of the Omicron Variant in New South Wales. Included in that count are 3 Year 9 students from the Regents Park Christian School in Western Sydney and this cluster appears to be the first evidence of community transmission of SARS-C0V-2 Omicron Variant in the state.

Three new cases of COVID-19 were reported for Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) in the 24 hours to 8pm 3 December.

One case is located in Grafton, the source is under investigation. One case is located in the Ballina LGA, a household contact of a confirmed case. One case is located in Byron Bay, a household contact of a confirmed case.

Northern NSW Local Health District can also confirm that one additional case has been confirmed in a traveller to the region, who has been visiting Byron Bay. This case is not reflected in NNSWLHD’s case tally as the infection was acquired elsewhere.

Since 1 December 2021 there have been 2 confirmed new COVID-19 cases reported in Grafton & 1 in Yamba in the Clarence Valley local government area (LGA), 1 in Lismore LGA, 1 in Ballina LGA and 3 two additional cases have been confirmed in travellers to the region visiting Byron Bay.

Community transmission of the virus is still occurring in Northern NSW.

The Northern Star online, 3 December 2021:

Almost half of scheduled elective surgeries at Lismore Base Hospital were cancelled on Tuesday after the staff were told to self isolate.

Northern NSW Local Health District chief executive Wayne Jones said the medical workers came into contact with a confirmed Covid-19 case at the weekend.

“Affected staff members are now able to return to work, provided they have no symptoms of illness,” he said.

“We apologise to patients whose surgery was postponed, and will reschedule affected patients for their surgery as soon as possible.

“We thank our staff for their swift and professional actions in getting tested and isolating as requested.”

Mr Jones on Tuesday said emergency and urgent surgery continued normally….. 

In its most recent health care settings report NSW Health stated that in the week ending 30 November 2021 there were 202 health care workers in public health order isolation in the state.

As of 21 October in the Northern NSW Local Health District the total number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections has reached 111 men, women and children across 7 local government areas since the Delta Variant Outbreak began community transmission in this region in early September 2021

Descriptive approximation of SARS-CoV-2 virus
IMAGE: Red-Diamond / Shutterstock

NSW Health reported that as of 8pm on Thursday 21 October 2021 there has been a total of 67,024 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 confirmed since the NSW Delta Variant Outbreak was first reported on 16 June 2021 and, a combined total 72,710 cases since the SARS-CoV-2  pandemic began in New South Wales in February 2020. 

 That number includes 492 COVID-19 related deaths since 16 June, which represents 89.78% of all COVID-19 related deaths since the pandemic began.

 

There are currently 482 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital across the state, with 125 people in intensive care, 67 of whom require ventilation. 

 As of 21 October in the Northern NSW Local Health District the total number of locally acquired COVID-19 infections has reached 111 men, women and children across 7 local government areas since the Delta Variant Outbreak since community transmission in this local health district began in mid September 2021.

As at 22 October 2021 more than 100 people in Northern NSW have been cared for under an enhanced community-based virtual care service (based on the original NSW Hospital-in-the-Home service) which provides monitoring and clinical care for COVID-19-positive residents in Northern NSW who do not require admission to hospital.

Currently 2 people in Northern NSW are being cared for in hospital, one in Intensive Care.

As of 8pm on 21 October 2021 est. 31 people have contracted locally acquired SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant in the Clarence Valley Local Government Area from around 27 September onwards.

Further state-wide & Northern NSW COVID-19 updates can be accessed here:

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/2021-nsw-health.aspx

https://nnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/blog/category/media-releases/

For vaccination rate information go to this NSW Postcode & LGA interactive map:

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/stay-safe/data-and-statistics#toc-map-of-nsw-vaccinations-by-home-postcode-and-lga

Homelessness an issue in NSW Northern Rivers region during COVID-19 pandemic

The Northern Star, 9 April 2020, p.7:

If you’re sleeping rough and you’re exposed to COVID-19, it’s not simple to self-isolate. 

But it’s expected support services will be put in place for people in that situation across the region. 

Northern NSW Local Health District chief executive Wayne Jones has explained health authorities would liaise with service providers and local councils to make sure help was available for rough sleepers.

He said those experiencing homelessness would be given accommodation support if they need to self-isolate. 

Byron Shire Council’s director of corporate and community services, Vanessa Adams, said she was keen for the council and local agencies to talk with the health district so they could make sure help reaches those most in need.

At the last street count in August 2019, the shire had 171 rough sleepers. Ms Adams said this was “a disproportionately high number of people” for Byron’s population, compared with Sydney’s 330 people living on the streets.

“People who are sleeping rough often have underlying health issues that’ll increase their vulnerability to something like a pandemic,” Ms Adams said.

She said it was “absolutely vital” to help them at a time like this. “It’s not just the accommodation, it’s the services that go with that,” she said.....

Third COVID-19 case reported in the Northern NSW Local Health District

 Northern NSW Local Health District, 18 March 2020:

A third confirmed case of COVID-19 has been recorded in the Northern NSW Local Health District.

This case is among the 267 total cases recorded for NSW as at 11am 18 March.

As with the other two cases recorded within the LHD, this case was acquired overseas, and is not the result of local community transmission.

The individual is self-isolating, and the North Coast Public Health Unit has already followed up close contacts of the case.

No further details relating to the individual’s location will be made public at this time. There are no locations that pose an ongoing risk to members of the public.

We can also confirm that all close contacts of the previous two recorded cases in NNSWLHD have been identified, contacted and followed up by Public Health officers.

NSW Health COVID-19 / Flu assessment clinics are up and running across the state however, we stress these clinics are for those most at risk with respiratory symptoms or fever, those returning from overseas or in contact with a COVID-19 case, or people like our health workers. People without symptoms do not need to be tested.

For more statewide statistics and flight details of confirmed cases, please refer to NSW Health – https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/20200318_00.aspx

UPDATE

On the morning of 19 March 2020 it was reporteded that a fourth person in the Northern NSW Local Health District has tested positive for COVID-19.