THERE are no confirmed active coronavirus cases in the Tamworth local government area (LGA), the leading health agency has revealed for the first time.
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Hunter New England Health (HNEH) told the Leader on Friday there were now no known patients residing in the Tamworth LGA with an active case of COVID-19.
It's the unknown cases circulating in the community that worries health authorities and led to the city's latest testing blitz.
Data from NSW Health still shows one local active case is residing in the Attunga postcode, but HNEH have now confirmed that could be a data error.
Doctors are not treating the patient any longer after they made a full recovery.
For the third week straight, there were no new confirmed coronavirus cases in the city as at 8pm on Thursday, despite testing numbers skyrocketing.
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This means out of a total of 13 confirmed cases in Tamworth since the pandemic struck, 12 have now recovered.
The other patient tragically died at Tamworth hospital as a result of complications from the COVID-19 virus on April 16.
The addition of no new cases in the past three weeks is a positive sign for Tamworth, considering the number of locals being screened for the virus has increased massively.
HNEH confirmed more than 2400 people had been swabbed at a specialised drive-through screening clinic at Tamworth hospital by Thursday night.
The clinic opened on April 27 as part of a Hunter New England Health (HNEH) initiative to increase testing in the area and help map the spread of COVID-19.
Despite locals flocking to the clinic for screening, the testing blitz has uncovered no cases of coronavirus in the community.
Backed by popular demand and a desire to increase the testing rate to 10 per cent of the local population, the drive-through clinic has been extended for a second time, until at least May 15.
The HNEH district is on track to boost testing numbers even further, after a mega six-lane drive-through screening clinic opened in Newcastle on Friday.
No new cases were recorded across the HNEH district in the latest 24-hour testing period.
HNEH is calling for people with any respiratory or cold-like symptoms to book a test at the Tamworth service by ringing 1800 881 568.
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Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
