2LT Local News

BATHURST, Central West, NSW, Australia – The drama over the Greater Sydney Covid-19 lockdown has extended to Western News South Wales, with the City of Dubbo, the town of Walgett, and Bathurst jail thrown into lockdown.

Two cases in Dubbo in the past 24 hours saw the area locked down from 1:00pm Wednesday.

It was also revealed Wednesday a 27-year old man admitted to Bathurst Jail on Saturday was tested on arrival for Covid-19, but his test result was not returned until Wednesday. Meantime the man was released on Monday and travelled to Walgett.

When the man’s test result on Wednesday was returned positive it forced a lockdown of Bathurst jail, while the town of Walgett in New South Wales went into lockdown at 7:00pm.

The man, according to the Western NSW Local Health District, is considered to have potentially been infectious from last Thursday, 5 August. The 27-year old is also known to have been in Dubbo and Bathurst during the potentially infectious period.

Investigations and contact tracing are underway. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms is urged to come forward for testing. Additional testing capacity will be provided in Walgett from Thursday 12 August opening at 9am at Alex Trevallion Park, enter via Castlereagh Highway, exit to Pitt Street.

Additional testing capacity is already available in Dubbo at the Showground (enter via Wingewarra Street) and at the COVIDSAFE clinic at the Manera Plaza, 77 Myall Street.

Additional testing capacity is now available at the Mount Panorama testing clinic in Bathurst.

For information on pop-up testing services currently operating in the Western NSW Local Health District click here.

The City of Dubbo which includes Wellington, Wongarbon, Geurie, Brocklehurst, Stuart Town, Mumbil, and Eumungerie will join the Greater Sydney area, which includes the Blue Mountains, Wollongong, and Shellharbour, as well as other regional areas Tamworth, Northern Rivers, Armidale, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Singleton, Dungog, Muswellbrook, and Cessnock, went into lockdown at 1:00pm Wednesday.

“To protect the people of NSW from the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, new restrictions will be introduced for the Dubbo Local Government Area (LGA), effective from 1pm today until the beginning of 19 August 2021,” a statement issued by the New South Wales government on Wednesday said.

“Following updated health advice from NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant, stay-at-home orders will apply to all people who live in the Dubbo LGA or have been there on or after 1 August 2021,” said the statement, issued prior to the revelation of the Bathurst/Walgett case.

The rules for the Dubbo LGA are the same as those already in place across Greater Sydney, and the other New South Wales regional areas.

Everyone in these areas must stay at home unless they have a reasonable excuse to leave. They also cannot have social visitors in their homes from outside their households, including family and friends.

“People still can have one visitor at one time to fulfill carers’ responsibilities or provide care or assistance, or for compassionate reasons, including where two people are in a relationship but do not live together,” the NSW Health Department statement said.

“People also cannot enter the Dubbo LGA without a reasonable excuse to do so. Dubbo residents are urged to limit their movements in the community at this time and to come forward for testing for even the mildest of symptoms.”

The Western NSW Local Health District earlier Wednesday reported a second case of Covid-19 has been confirmed in Dubbo. The person is a household contact of a person confirmed with Covid-19 on Tuesday night. Several close contacts have been identified at this point, are in isolation, and have either been tested or are having testing arranged urgently. Investigations and contact tracing are ongoing, and more close and casual contacts may be identified, the WNSWLHD said.

Several venues of concern have been identified further sites and more details may be added as investigations continue Anyone who was at the following venues on the dates and during the times listed is urged to immediately get tested and self-isolate until you receive further advice from NSW Health:

– Don Crosby Veterinary Surgery, 327 Darling Street Dubbo. 7 August 8:57am to 9:45am
– The Harvest Cafe, 64 Palmer Street Dubbo. 7 August 9:52am to 10.10am
– Ashcrofts IGA, 95 Tamworth Street Dubbo. 8 August 12:35 to 12:52pm
– Tim Koerstz Pharmacy, 98 Tamworth Street Dubbo. 9 August 1pm to 1.15pm
– Covid Safe Clinic, 77 Myall Street Dubbo. 10 August 7:45am to 8:32am

New South Wales recorded 344 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm Tuesday night, the NSW government announced earlier Wednesday.

Of these locally acquired cases, 115 are linked to a known case or cluster 97 are household contacts and 18 are close contacts and the source of infection for 229 cases, NSW Health says, is under investigation.

The total number of cases in the satte since the beginning of the pandemic is now 11,713.

NSW Health said it has been notified of two deaths of people with COVID-19.

A man in his 30s from northern Sydney died at the Northern Beaches Hospital.

A man in his 90s from south west Sydney died at Concord Hospital.

This brings the number of COVID-related deaths to 34 during the current outbreak, and the number of lives lost to 91 since the beginning of the pandemic.

There have been 6,149 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in this recent outbreak was reported.

There are currently 374 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 62 people in intensive care, 29 of whom require ventilation.

There have been 119,256 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm Tuesday night, compared with the previous day’s total of 95,037.