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headline

Major Newcastle hospital emergency room a COVID-19 exposure site

The emergency department at a major Newcastle hospital has been listed as a coronavirus exposure site.

NSW Health said anyone who visited the John Hunter Hospital from 8.42pm on Thursday, August 5 to 1.50am on Friday, August 6 is considered a close contact.

Those who were there are being asked to immediately get tested and self isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.

READ MORE: NSW records 291 new COVID-19 cases

John Hunter Hospital

"NSW Health sends a text message to people who have checked in at close contact venues with further information," NSW Health said.

"We also make a follow-up call to close contacts to discuss the isolation and testing requirements.

"If you have not received a text message, please call 1800 943 553."

The XPT Regional Train from Broadmeadow to Armidale via Werris Creek on Thursday 29 July between 11.40am and 5.30pm has also been declared a close contact exposure site.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said it is likely a young person with COVID-19 had brought the disease into Armidale from Newcastle after two cases were identified there today.

These cases plunged the area into a snap lockdown that will be enforced tonight.

A delivery driver at Big W Raymond Terrace has tested positive to COVID-19.

The person had visited MarketPlace Raymond Terrace on Thursday July 29 between 10.15am and 10.45am.

Anyone who was there between those time is considered a casual contact and is being asked to get tested and self isolate until they get a result.

They are also being asked to monitor for symptoms until August 12.

The XPT Regional Train from Broadmeadow to Armidale via Werris Creek

The HealthSure Medical Centre at Jesmond on August 2 from 3.20pm to 3.55pm, the Priceline Pharmacy at Jesmond on August 2 from 4pm to 4.20pm and the Jump N Swim Academy at Thornton on August 4 from 5pm to 5.30pm have been listed as close contact venues.

Anyone who was at those locations at those times are urged to get tested and isolate for 14 days.

Two shopping centres have also been added to the list of casual contact venues, including Charleston Square on the afternoon of July 29, including the Apple Store, Boost Juice, Cotton On, Jay Jays, Priceline Pharmacy, Glassons, Supre, Factorie, Pearl Nails, the ground level Newsagency and the food court.

The Target store at the Glendale Shopping Village on August 1 has also been listed from 8.50am to 1pm.

Anyone who was at those centres at the times specified by NSW Health is urged to get tested and isolate until they get a negative result.

The Auchmuty Library at the University of Newcastle is no longer a venue of concern.

More information and the full list of exposure sites is available on the NSW Health website.

The local government areas of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Cessnock, Dungog, Singleton and Muswellbrook went into lockdown this week after an unexplained coronavirus case in the area.

NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Jeremy McNulty said he was concerned about the four new cases recorded in Newcastle today

headline

Victoria records 29 locally acquired cases of COVID-19

Victorian COVID-19 case numbers have skyrocketed with 29 locally acquired cases being recorded in the last 24 hours.

The cases are all linked to previously reported cases and none were in quarantine during their infectious periods. The state recorded 43,618 test results during the 24 hour period. It is Victoria's highest single-day increase in local cases this year.

Premier Daniel Andrews described the figures as "very significant" for the state.

"Although they are all linked, but they are linked to outbreaks and we don't know where those outbreaks started. They are mystery cases that sit behind this," he said.

"There is a certainty that there are more cases out there.

"That is why getting tested when you have any symptoms at all, is so important. It is why, if you are asked to stay at home and isolate, please follow the instructions that are provided to you and to the broader community."

READ MORE: Full list of Victorian exposure sites

https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1423772158900064262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Victoria's COVID-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said both the Hobsons Bay strand and the Maribyrnong strand were confirmed to be the Delta variant and "closely associated" with the NSW outbreak.

"We have not yet found an identical match to any other existing clusters either here in Victoria or elsewhere in Australia. We can confirm it is closely associated with the NSW cluster," he said.

"(Two cases) relate to family members of the city of Maribyrnong case who spent some time in Sydney hotel quarantine (after arriving from overseas) and who returned to Victoria on July 15.

"This is only one of a number of possible leads and I don't wish to infer anything around it but it is a lead we are continuing to explore.

"So they left hotel quarantine on July 15, travelled from Sydney to Melbourne on flight QF 45 which left at 12.40."

Mr Weimar said all passengers onboard that flight will be notified.

There are 95 active cases of COVID-19 in Victoria, with many being old cases linked to the previous outbreak. Mr Weimar said 30 of the active cases were associated with the current Hobsons Bay cluster and eight are associated the city of Maribyrnong cluster.

There are now four schools caught up in the outbreak, after an infected person attended the Islamic College of Melbourne last month.

Public housing tower outbreak

A public housing tower in Flemington is among several new exposure sites. The tower is one of several locked down at short notice last July.

Mr Weimar said there were eight positive cases among the 400 tower residents.

"Those eight positive cases relocated two days ago and last night. One group left two days ago and one last night," he said.

"They are now in safe accommodation and we will be undertaking full testing of the rest of that housing building.

"The residents have been informed this morning and we will continue the work over the coming days and as we always do with complex apartment buildings, we will provide full food and welfare support for the community so they can get tested and do the right thing."

READ MORE: Complete list of Victorian exposure sites

Vaccine boost

Mr Andrews said National Cabinet had agreed to send extra Pfizer vaccines to the state.

"I was pleased to be informed by the Prime Minister that we will receive just under 150,000 additional doses of Pfizer," he said.

The news comes as Victorian exposure sites grow to a total of 82.

Punishing rule-breakers

Mr Andrews defended the government against claims those who break lockdown rules are not punished severely enough, saying sending wrongdoers underground would not help defeat the Delta outbreak.

"There is already a stigma in different parts of the community and we have to deal with that. We shouldn't be adding to it.

"What we'll do if we punish everybody who comes forward, it will just drive the thing underground. People will not get tested, people will not isolate, people will pretend that they haven't got it for fear that they'll be punished or have a sense of shame or stigma.

"That will produce one outcome and one only. Not hundreds of cases but thousands of cases. We don't want that."

Victoria was plunged into a snap seven-day lockdown at 8pm Thursday.

It is the sixth time residents have been locked down in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus and this time it is the presence of the Delta variant which has caused prompt action from Mr Andrews.

Think of your loved ones

Mr Andrews pleaded for people to come forward for testing if they experience even the mildest symptoms and to follow lockdown rules.

He said anyone who was not taking the virus seriously should imagine their loved ones in intensive care, struggling to breathe.

"Think about the people that you love the most and picture them on a machine to breathe," he said.

"When you're thinking about going to visit a mate or doing the wrong thing, just think of that picture."

Mr Andrews said Victoria had a chance to "drive these numbers down".

"I can't do this on my own. We can't do this alone," he said.

"It is up to every single Victorian to play their part and I thank those who are, and I just say to those who might not be – we are all in this together, whether you like it or not.

"We're all locked down together. And we'll all open up together if we all play our part."

READ MORE: Victoria's snap seven-day lockdown: What you can and can't do