Update:
A FUNERAL held in Moree late last week has been confirmed as a casual contact exposure event by health authorities.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hunter New England Health (HNEH) said the situation in Moree is "changing rapidly" and more information will be provided as soon as it comes to hand.
HNEH said it is time to test and anyone with even mild symptoms should seek a swab and isolate until a negative result is received.
"Anyone who attended the funeral in Moree last Thursday or the gathering at Pius X afterwards is considered a casual contact and should arrange testing immediately if that has not already been done," a statement from HNEH said.
"Attendees should also arrange to have a second test on Wednesday or Thursday this week but do not need to isolate if they remain well."
Some people will be contacted directly if they are identified as close contacts and need to isolate for a longer period, HNEH said.
Testing has been ramped up in response and is now available at:
- Moree hospital (Tuesday - Friday) - 8:30am - 3pm
- Gateway Swab Clinic (Tuesday - Friday) - 8:00am - 4pm
- Moree Respiratory Clinic Pius X AMS (Tuesday - Friday) - 8:30am - 3pm
- Boggabilla Community Health Centre (Tuesday - Thursday) - 9am - 1pm
- Mungindi Pius X Building Walker Street (Tuesday - Wednesday) - 10am -12pm
Vaccinations are also available at Moree hospital and can be booked via the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder.
The latest data shows Moree has a double dose vaccination rate of 76.4 per cent.
Moree Plains Shire Mayor Katrina Humphries said it was with "great sadness" she confirmed the two new local cases on Tuesday.
"I call upon NSW Health to act very quickly with their contact tracing and advise our community of updated statuses relating to the local COVID cases," she said.
"To our community, follow all the processes that have been in place for 18 months, get tested, get vaccinated and be sensible."
Earlier:
TAMWORTH has recorded three new cases of COVID-19 in the latest update while Moree has clocked its first ever infection.
Hunter New England Health (HNEH) reported the three new Tamworth patients are from South Tamworth and Tamworth.
HNEH announced one new case in Moree found in the testing period to 8pm on Monday, marking the first ever active case of COVID-19 in the town since the pandemic hit last year.
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall confirmed he has been made aware of two COVID-19 cases living in Moree, who were infected at an event or venue they both attended late last week.
Mr Marshall said both patients are isolating and close contacts have been notified.
Testing hours at the Moree hospital clinic have been increased and anyone with symptoms has been urged to seek a swab.
No new cases were recorded in Gunnedah, Armidale or any other town in the New England North West in the 24 hours to 8pm Monday.
Tamworth South Public School has reopened after COVID positive cases were confirmed in the school community over the past days.
READ ALSO:
Inverell High School and Armidale's Drummond Memorial Public School remained closed on Tuesday.
The HNEH district recorded 64 new cases in the latest update on Tuesday morning.
The state added 173 new cases and sadly reported a further four deaths.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced changes to the NSW reopening roadmap on Tuesday which bring forward freedoms for the double jabbed but leave the unvaccinated behind.
The unvaccinated will not be able to participate in NSW's reopening until December 15.
The density limit on hospitality venues will increase from four square metres to two square metres from Monday, November 8.
Capacity limits for all venues except gyms will be removed from Monday, caps on visitors to homes will be removed and stadiums will be able to have a 100 per cent crowd capacity.
Indoors pools will reopen for all purposes, children's play centres will reopen and outdoor gatherings will be uncapped. Nightclubs will reopen for dancing.
The changes were initially designed to be introduced on December 1, but Mr Perrottet said the state's high vaccination rates had allowed the government to bring forward the new rules.
But, the rules only apply to people who are fully vaccinated.
The unvaccinated will not be able to participate until two weeks later than first flagged, or when the state reaches a double-dose adult vaccination rate of 95 per cent, whichever comes first.
Existing mask rules will stay in place.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark northerndailyleader.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News