COVID-19 & Influenza State of Play 2022: NSW on 10 June 2022 and over the 4 weeks before that at state and local government level

 

SARS-CoV-2 & VARIANTS/COVID-19

According to the World Health Organisation, currently the only SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (VOC) is Omicron B.1.1.529. This designation includes BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5 and descendent lineages. It also includes BA.1/BA.2 circulating recombinant forms such as XE.

As of Monday 23 May 2022, the national Communicable Diseases Genomics Network (CDGN) VoC Working Group has downgraded B.1.617.2 (Delta) to a Variant of Interest. No Delta sequences having been identified from samples collected in the 12 weeks to 23 May. Previously on 31 January 2022 Alpha, Beta and Gamma variants were de-escalated from VoCs. The only current Variant of Concern within Australia is Omicron B.1.1.529 and sub-lineages BA.

By 6 June 2022 CDGN - Aus Trakka had reported that public health laboratories had identified 10,066 B.1.1.529 genetic sequences in the New South Wales.

According to NSW Health, as at 4pm on 10 June 2022 there were 85,665 active confirmed COVID-19 cases across the state, with 1,219 hospitalised of which 41 were in intensive care including 14 requiring ventilation. In the 24 hours up to 4pm on 10 June 24 people had died as a result of COVID-19 infection.

In the last four weeks to 4pm 10 June 2022 NSW Health has recorded 92,994 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the state. However this is an incomplete record of the number of person who actually contracted COVID-19 as NSW Health only records the results of Polymerase Chain Reaction tests (PCR) and omits results of Rapid Antigen tests (RAT).

Blacktown Local Government Area recorded 5,074 confirmed cases and Central Coast Local Government Area 4,157 confirmed cases in those 4 weeks.

The following local government areas (LGAs) recorded over 2,000 and under 4,000 confirmed COVID-19 during this period:

Bayside, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Central Coast, Cumberland, Georges River, Inner West, Ku-ring-gai, Lake Macquarie, Liverpool, Northern Beaches, Parramatta, Penrith, Ryde, Sutherland Shire, Sydney, The Hills Shire and Wollongong.

Those LGAs which recorded confirmed COVID-19 cases numbering between 1,000 but below 2,000 during this period were:

Camden, Canada Bay, Dubbo Regional, Hornsby, Maitland, Newcastle, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional, Randwick and Shoalhaven.

When it comes to the 7 local government areas comprising the NSW Northern Rivers region, in the four weeks to 10 June 2022 the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases recorded were:

Tweed Shire – 512 cases

Kyogle Shire – 19 cases

Lismore City – 208 cases

Byron Shire – 111 cases

Ballina Shire – 279 cases

Richmond Valley – 148 cases

Clarence Valley – 124 cases.

TOTAL 1,401

Remembering of course that all these figures are a significant under reporting by NSW Health because the Perrottet Coalition Government ceased to care about accurate public health recording by the last quarter of 2021.

For North Coast Voices readers who live in NSW LGAs I have not mentioned, a full list is at:

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/stats-local.aspx.

INFLUENZA

According to the Australian Dept. Of Health, in the year to 5 June 2022, there have been 87,989 notifications of laboratory-confirmed influenza. Some 47,860 of these notifications had a diagnosis date in the last two weeks up to 5 June.

These numbers represents a national notification rate of 341.8 per 100,000 population.

There have been 27 influenza-associated deaths notified to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS).

Since commencement of seasonal surveillance in April 2022, there have been 733 hospital admissions due to influenza reported across sentinel hospitals sites, of which 6.1% (est. 45 people) were admitted directly to an Intensive Care Unit.

People aged 5–19 years and children aged younger than 5 years have the highest influenza notification rates.

In the year to first week of June 2022 NSW Health has recorded est. 44,080 Influenza cases in New South Wales.

From 1 January to 31 May 2022 there were only 635 Influenza cases officially recorded in the NSW Northern Rivers region.

NSW Liberal Premier Dominic Perrottet & Nationals Deputy Premier Paul Toole continue the Coalition's obsession with that fossil fuel without any form of social licence, Coal Seam Gas

 

Northern Daily Leader, 21 May 2022:

Gas companies will be permitted to explore for the mineral on 90,000 hectares of farmland surrounding the village of Bellata, after the state government resurrected the last "zombie" PEL in the North West on Friday.

Opponents of gas expansion accused the government of trying to bury a decision to bring back PEL 427 from the dead, in the hours before the federal election.

It is the last of 12 decades-old petroleum exploration licences (PELs), covering 55,000 square kilometres of farmland, which had long expired but, like zombies, could be reanimated at any time. All but three other PELS have been destroyed for good in recent weeks…..

The Bellata PEL has been shrunk down to just 90,000 hectares, covering an area near Moree. It includes land in the Northern Tablelands electorate of Adam Marshall and the Barwon electorate of Roy Butler, both of whom oppose gas development in their electorates.

A spokesperson for the Department of Regional NSW said that the PEL "has been renewed in line with the NSW Government's Future of Gas Statement, which was released last year, reducing the total area covered by the PELs in NSW by 77 per-cent."

"The PEL remained in place while it was under assessment by the Department. The renewed area is significantly smaller than it was previously," he said.

"All PELs that were under assessment have now been resolved, with parts of them reduced, others renewed, and several refused."

Lock the Gate Alliance National Coordinator Georgina Woods said the timing of the renewal showed disdain for farmers and a desperate attempt to avoid scrutiny.

"It's shocking to see the Perrottet Government continuing to permit coal seam gas exploration on some of the state's best farmland," she said.

"In less than a month, the Perrottet Government has put more than one million hectares of NSW land and the groundwater beneath it at the mercy of the polluting coal seam gas industry.

"Coal seam gas is incompatible with a thriving agriculture industry and resilient rural communities.

"The Perrottet Government has given gas companies the green light to pockmark farmland with gas wells and further fuel dangerous climate change, which is in turn making it harder for farmers to grow food and fibre.

"As recent community meetings have shown, locals will not passively accept the renewal of these licences. The Perrottet Government now has one hell of a fight on its hands."

Shooters, Fishers and Farmers member for Barwon Roy Butler said the government risked serious backlash from its strongest supporters, who had what he said was "white hot" anger about the issue.

"The strange thing for me is that you've got groups like NSW Farmers and CWA who strongly oppose this, they strongly oppose Narrabri, they oppose these zombie PELs. Those groups are bread and butter for the Nats," he said.

"Yet they just stick their middle finger up at them essentially and say we'll we're going to go do it anyway. You sort of sit there and think what the hell's going on? Why would you do that to your base?"

He said almost no landholder near Narrabri was in favour of a plan to turn the region into a coal-seam-gas development zone, and the industry continued to pose major risks to groundwater……

In April the government resurrected PELs near Narrabri, Boggabri, Quirindi and Gunnedah.

It approved the Santos-owned Narrabri Gas Project in 2020.

Bellarta NSW 

IMAGE: Domain.com.au

According to Visit NSW website:

Bellata lies 48 kilometres North of Narrabri and 54 kilometres South of Moree on the Newell Highway in North West New South Wales. A rich agricultural region, it is also known for its minerals such as petrified and opalised wood and agate.

The Bellata area is responsible for the production of some of the best Australian Prime Hard wheat in Australia and has large grain storage complex and silos. The countryside has beautiful rich soils and undulating land.

Bellata has a primary school, a nine hole golf course with sand greens and free camping is also available at the Bellata Golf Club, 24 hour BP Roadhouse and the Bellata Memorial Hall.

The Perrottet Coalition Government just won't give up on a bad tourism idea for the Clarence River estuary

North Coast Voices readers may recall that in March 2017 Lower Clarence River communities became aware that Liberal MLA for Willoughby and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and members of her Cabinet were considering expanding the uses that the Clarence River estuary and the Port of Yamba could be put to.

By November of that year it had firmed into future plans for Yamba to become a cruise ship port and destination with a waterborne trojan horse to be delivered into the estuary in October 2018.

The Yamba and Iluka communities were not amused by both the NSW Government's plans and its lack of consultation.

These communities got loud. The Berejiklian Government went quiet and the named international cruise ship company decided to bypass the Port of Yamba. 

There appeared to have been no specific development activities in 2019 or in 2020 when the global pandemic reached Australia.

However, this was, and under Liberal MP for Epping NSW Premier Dominic Perrott still is, a government which doesn't like taking a decided "No" for an answer.

So this is still appearing on a current tourism website set up under the auspices of the NSW Government.

Note: All webpage snapshots were taken on 16 May 2022 at

https://www.visitnsw.com/travel-information/cruise/yamba

COVID-19 Pandemic as the country enters 2022

To recap the bad news we are all living as we enter 2022, with no end in sight....

 

# As at 8pm on Wednesday, 1 December 2021 NSW Health recorded 271 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 in New South Wales.

These were spread across all 15 local health districts:

Of the 271 cases reported to 8pm last night, 68 are from South Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 57 are from Western Sydney LHD, 49 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD, 29 are from Sydney LHD, 18 are from Northern Sydney LHD, 12 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, 10 are from Hunter New England LHD, nine are from Western NSW LHD, five are from Murrumbidgee LHD, three are from Mid North Coast LHD, three are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, three are from Southern NSW LHD, two are from Central Coast LHD, two are from Northern NSW LHD, and one is yet to be assigned to an LHD.

Currently there were 144 COVID-19 cases being treated in hospital, with 24 people in intensive care, 10 of whom require ventilation.

Additionally est. 2,112 people ill with COVID-19 were being cared for outside of a hospital setting and a day earlier on 30 November the number of active COVID-19 cases in the state was recorded as 2,633 persons.

At that point in time only 6 cases of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant infection had been identified in the state.

# By 8pm on Wednesday 15 December 2021 NSW Health recorded 1,742 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 of which 122 were identified as COVID-19 caused by the Omicron Variant.

Currently there were 192 COVID-19 cases being treated in hospital, with 26 people in intensive care, 8 of whom require ventilation.

At the beginning of that week there were an additional 3,342 people ill with COVID-19 recorded as being cared for outside a hospital setting and est. 5,179 active COVID-19 cases across the state.

On 15 December, COVID-19 cases were spread across all 15 local health districts:

Of the 1,742 cases reported to 8pm last night, 633 are from Hunter New England Local Health District (LHD), 231 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD, 188 are from South Western Sydney LHD, 166 are from Western Sydney LHD, 159 are from Sydney LHD, 111 are from Northern Sydney LHD, 81 are from Northern NSW LHD, 43 are from Central Coast LHD, 38 are from Western NSW LHD, 28 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 23 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, 14 are from Mid North Coast LHD, five are from Murrumbidgee LHD, four are from Far West LHD, three are from Southern NSW LHD, and 15 are yet to be assigned to an LHD.

# At 8pm on Wednesday, 29 December 2021 NSW Health recorded 12,226 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 of which it was estimated that 80% were likely caused by COVID-19 with the Omicron Variant.

Currently there were 746 COVID-19 cases being treated in hospital, with 63 people in intensive care, 24 of whom require ventilation. On 29 December the Australian Dept. of Health reported est. 70,928 active COVID-19 cases across New South Wales.

On 29 December COVID-19 cases were spread across all 15 local health districts:

Of the 12,226 cases reported to 8pm last night, 2,229 are from South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 2,085 are from South Western Sydney LHD, 2,042 are from Western Sydney LHD, 1,767 are from Sydney LHD, 1,310 are from Northern Sydney LHD, 708 are from Hunter New England LHD, 612 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 291 are from Central Coast LHD, 247 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, 244 are from Northern NSW LHD, 120 are from Mid North Coast LHD, 107 are from Southern NSW LHD, 73 are from Western NSW LHD, 72 are from Murrumbidgee LHD, eight are from Far West LHD, three are in correctional settings, and 308 are yet to be assigned to an LHD.

# The next day, Thursday 30 December 2021 NSW Health recorded 21,151 new confirmed COVID-19 cases including 6 deaths.

Currently there were 832 COVID-19 cases being treated in hospital, with 69 people in intensive care, 19 of whom require ventilation. There were est. 89,418 active COVID-19 cases across the state.

On 30 December COVID-19 cases were spread across all 15 local health districts:

Of the 21,151 cases reported to 8pm last night, 4,647 are from South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 3,439 are from South Western Sydney LHD, 2,919 are from Western Sydney LHD, 2,278 are from Sydney LHD, 2,194 are from Northern Sydney LHD, 1,983 are from Hunter New England LHD, 821 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, 632 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 597 are from Central Coast LHD, 260 are from Northern NSW LHD, 244 are from Western NSW LHD, 159 are from Southern NSW LHD, 131 are from Murrumbidgee LHD, 121 are from Mid North Coast LHD, six are from Far West LHD, and 720 are yet to be assigned to an LHD.

Between 8pm on Wednesday and 8pm Thursday the number of new COVID-19 infections recorded came close to officially doubling, 

Given the under reporting of COVID-19 cases due to reduced access to testing facilities between Christmas and New Year; quickly followed by facilities not being able to process the high numbers of people presenting; followed in turn by the NSW Perrottet Government in conjunction with the Morrison Government actively seeking to deter people from seeking testing - including limiting eligibility for CPR testing as well as rationing distribution of rapid antigen test kits and threatening to charge around $200 for 'unnecessary' test requests; it is possible the true number of daily cases in NSW at 8pm on 30 December 2021 was in the vicinity of 25,381 infected men women and children.

It would not be surprising to hear that sometime next week New South Wales reported a daily case total of over 40,000.

A total of 35 people with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis died in NSW between 1 to 30 December 2021 bringing the state death toll since the start of the pandemic to est. 665 men, women & children. 

UPDATE 

# At 8pm on Friday, 31 December 2021 NSW Health recorded 22,577 new confirmed COVID-19 cases including 4 deaths.

Currently 901 people ill with COVID-19 are being treated in hospital, with 79 in intensive care. 

As there is a 24 hour lag in daily data publication and today is New Year's Day 2022 there is only this graphic published by NSW Health.

At 8pm Friday, 31 December, 306 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed across all 7 of the local government areas in the Northern NSW Local Health District:

• Byron Shire – 152 cases
• Tweed Shire – 63 cases
• Ballina Shire – 50 cases
• Lismore Shire – 24 cases
• Clarence Valley – 9 cases
• Richmond Valley – 5 cases
• Kyogle Shire – 3 cases.

TOTAL 306

Currently in Northern NSW there are 18 people being treated in hospital, with 3 in intensive care. 

COVID-19 testing system in NSW buckles under strain after increase in infection numbers along with federal & state policy shifts place public health response burden on the individual not government

 

ABC News, 21 December 2021:

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard concedes the state's COVID-19 testing system is under "massive pressure" as clinics turn people away and wait times blow out.

Before the arrival of Omicron variant in late November, when NSW's daily case numbers hovered at the 250 mark, testing rates sat at about 60,000 per day.

Since Friday night, more than 426,000 people have braved queues to be tested across the state, with more than 8,000 new positive cases recorded in the past three days.

Mr Hazzard said testing sites, as well as the public and private laboratories that analysed the swabs, were under pressure.

"Obviously they're trying to access the various products that are required to do the testing, but that's not the sole issue," he said.

"The issue is also that the staffing from not only doing the actual pathology testing, but also the administration — making sure people are advised of their results — is currently under massive pressure."…..

For the sites that are open, queues have stretched around the block, forcing people to line up for hours at some clinics.

Wait times for results have blown out to 72 hours in some cases.

NSW Labor Health Spokesman Ryan Park said the state government needed to "fulfil their end of the bargain" after the Premier asked people to take personal responsibility and get tested in light of the spike in cases.

He said more clinics, staff and equipment were needed to meet the surging demand and to cut wait times.

"It simply doesn't make sense," he said.

"They (the government) need to listen to the message that's coming from the community."

The demand for testing in the lead-up to Christmas has also seen pharmacies run out of rapid antigen test kits.

Health officials convened for several hours on Tuesday morning to consider the stresses faced by the testing system…..

Read the full article here.

SARS-CoV-2 Delta & Omicron Variants in NSW & Northern NSW, 1 -11 December 2021

 

In the week ending 17 June 2021: community transmission of COVID-19 stood at 4 new cases; across the state there were only 41 active cases remaining, the average infection growth factor was 1.33; only 1 infected person was currently hospitalized with another 36 being cared for in the community; and, only 3 out of the state's 15 local health districts had recorded confirmed COVID-19 cases during those 7 days.

Life seemed so straightforward then as it appeared that New South Wales might just be starting to turn an epidemiological corner.

However, that particular June community transmission number represented the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant Outbreak and, due to mismanagement by both the Australian & NSW governments, that variant infection spread with ease across Greater Sydney. Weekly case numbers for locally acquired infections rising into their thousands and hospitalizations mounting.  

Although infection and hospitalisation numbers eventually fell, even now new community transmission case numbers still hover somewhere between one & two thousand over a 7 day period.

So where does the NSW population stand in relation to SARS-CoV-2 and its Delta and Omicron variants, now that est. 93.1% of those 16 years of age to 90 years & over are fully vaccinated and est. 77.7% of those 12 to 15 years of age are fully vaccinated and public health order restrictions are fast vanishing.

NSW Health & Northern NSW Local Health District, media release excerpts, COVID-19 data for 1 December to 11 December 2021:

# NSW recorded 271 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 1 December 2021. The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant in NSW remains at 6. There are currently 144 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 24 people in intensive care, 10 of whom require ventilation. The number of COVID-19 infected people being cared for outside a hospital setting was 2,112 cases as at 1 December - up from 2,058 on 23 November 2021.

• Two new cases of COVID-19 were reported for Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) in the 24 hours to 8pm 1 December. These cases are located in the Grafton and Yamba areas of Clarence Valley Local Government Area, and both are under investigation.

# NSW recorded 337 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm 2 December 2021. There is now a total of 9 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant in NSW. There are currently 140 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 25 people in intensive care, 10 of whom require ventilation.

• One new case of COVID-19 was reported for Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) in the 24 hours to 8pm 2 December. The case is located in the Lismore Local Government Area and is linked to an existing case. Northern NSW Local Health District can also confirm that two additional cases have been confirmed in travellers to the region visiting Byron Bay. These cases are not included in NNSWLHD’s case tally, and contact tracing is underway.

# NSW recorded 325 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm 3 December 2021, including 1 death. There is now a total of 13 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant in NSW, and results on further likely cases are due later today. There are currently 139 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 25 people in intensive care, eight of whom require ventilation.

• 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.

# NSW recorded 286 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm 4 December 2021, including 1 death. There is now a total of 15 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant in NSW, and results on further likely cases are due later today. There are currently 148 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 26 people in intensive care, five of whom require ventilation.

• Three new cases of COVID-19 were reported for Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) in the 24 hours to 8pm 4 December. One case is in Lismore and the source is under investigation. Two cases are located in Byron Bay, one of which is under investigation and the other is linked to a known case.

# NSW recorded 208 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm 5 December 2021 night. There is now a total of 25 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant in NSW. There are currently 152 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 24 people in intensive care, five of whom require ventilation.

No NNSWLHD media release available for 5 December 2021.

# NSW recorded 260 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm 6 December 2021, including 2 deaths. There is now a total of 31 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant in NSW. There are currently 155 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 28 people in intensive care, five of whom require ventilation.

• One new case of COVID-19 was reported for Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) in the 24 hours to 8pm 6 December. The case is located in the Kingscliff area of Tweed Local Government Area, and was acquired interstate.

# NSW recorded 403 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm 7 December 2021, including 1 death. There is now a total of 34 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant in NSW. There are currently 151 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 25 people in intensive care, seven of whom require ventilation. The number of COVID-19 infected people being cared for outside a hospital setting was 2,362 cases as at 7 December - up from 2,112 on 1 December 2021.

• Eight new cases of COVID-19 were reported for Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) in the 24 hours to 8pm 7 December. Of these cases, six are located in the Byron Local Government Area (LGA), and two are located in the Tweed LGA. All are linked to known cases, and one is a household contact of an existing case.

# NSW recorded 420 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on 8 December 2021, including 1 death. There is now a total of 42 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant in NSW. There are currently 151 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 25 people in intensive care, eight of whom require ventilation.

• 11 new cases of COVID-19 were reported for Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) in the 24 hours to 8pm 8 December. Of these cases, eight are located in the Byron Local Government Area (LGA), one in the Ballina LGA, one in Lismore LGA, and one in Tweed LGA. Nine of the 11 cases are linked to existing cases, and two are under investigation.

# NSW recorded 516 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm 9 December 2021. The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant in NSW remains at 42. There are currently 158 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 24 people in intensive care, nine of whom require ventilation.

• 21 new cases of COVID-19 were reported for Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) in the 24 hours to 8pm 9 December. Of the cases, 13 were in the Byron Local Government Area, 4 in the Lismore LGA, 3 in the Ballina LGA, and 1 in the Tweed LGA. 20 of the 21 cases are linked to an existing case or cluster. One of the cases in the Lismore LGA is under investigation. A further 8 cases have now been linked to the Coorabell Hall event on Saturday 4 December, making 16 in total. A further two cases are now linked to the Woody’s Surf Shack Night Club, making a total of 3.

# NSW recorded 560 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm 10 December 2021, including 3 deaths. There is a total of 45 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant in NSW. There are currently 150 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 25 people in intensive care, eight of whom require ventilation.

• 35 new cases of COVID-19 were reported for Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) in the 24 hours to 8pm 10 December. Of the cases, 23 were in the Byron Local Government Area, 2 in the Lismore LGA, 8 in the Ballina LGA, and 2 in the Tweed LGA. 30 of the 35 cases are linked to an existing case or cluster. One case in the Ballina LGA, one case in the Tweed LGA, two cases in Byron LGA and one case in Lismore LGA remain under investigation. NNSWLHD is seeing an increase in cases in the Byron Bay region, and the majority of them are associated with venues including pubs, clubs and party settings.

# NSW recorded 485 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm, 11 December 2021, including 2 deaths. There is a total of 55 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant of concern in NSW. There were 10 new cases confirmed with the Omicron variant overnight, and more are expected as results of genomic testing are confirmed. To date, one Omicron case has been admitted to hospital in NSW for treatment of COVID-19. There are currently 156 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 23 people in intensive care, seven of whom require ventilation. 

• 30 new cases of COVID-19 were reported for Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) in the 24 hours to 8pm 11 December.

  Of the cases, 18 were in the Byron Local Government Area, 4 in the Lismore LGA, 6 in the Ballina LGA, 1 in the Tweed LGA and 1 in the Richmond Valley LGA. 21 of the 30 cases are linked to an existing case or cluster. Three cases in the Ballina LGA, one case in the Tweed LGA, three cases in Byron LGA, one case in Lismore LGA and one case in the Richmond Valley LGA remain under investigation. To date no cases in NNSWLHD have been identified as the Omicron variant.

There are 7 local government areas in the Northern NSW Local Health District. All 7 of these areas have experienced community transmission of COVID-19 infections in the three months since the SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant Outbreak first reached Northern NSW.

In the first 11 days of December 2021 the region has been experiencing new COVID-19 infections roughly equivalent to 10.45 new cases per day. 

This represents a surge in local infection numbers which had begun to grow once the NSW Perrottet Government opened regional NSW to travellers from Greater Sydney which itself remains a significant source of COVID-19 community infection, as well as to travellers from elsewhere in NSW and interstate. 

However it is impossible to calculate how many people have travelled into Northern NSW whilst infectious, as abruptly on 19 November 2021 NSW Premier Perrottet removed from public view the dataset which reliably tracked sources of confirmed COVID-19 infections by postcode, local health district and local government area.

UPDATE:

ABC News, 12  December 2021:

The Reff [infection rate] currently stands at 1.38, a jump from 1.25 just a couple of days ago — and in line with the "bell-shaped curve" expected in epidemics.

"So what we're seeing now is typically that initial rise in cases which we saw at the start of the previous wave, so it's definitely going to be a wave coming up," Professor Esterman said.

"The effective reproduction number is now as high as it's been since the 23rd of August and the doubling time for case numbers is 14 days, so every 14 days the number of cases is going to double at the current rate."

He also said a peak in cases would likely not happen until February. 

The rate of hospitalisations is the one bit of "good news" remaining stable over recent weeks with yesterday's figure of 150 slightly lower than previous days. .....