VERY REAL concerns are held for the regional town of Moree after a huge spike in case numbers were linked to large events which spread coronavirus "like wildfire".
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The region is bracing for the outbreak to worsen, with 33 new cases announced in the Moree area, nine new cases in Tamworth, seven in Inverell and two in Armidale in the latest update.
The numbers show a disturbing rise in cases in parts of the New England North West, Hunter New England Health (HNEH) public health physician Dr David Durrheim said.
"We have seen a rapid escalation of cases in Moree and Inverell," he said.
"These cases are linked to a number of what appear to be super-spreader events."
Dr Durrheim said people were exposed to the potentially deadly virus at a funeral, a wake, a number of social gatherings and a weekend celebration in Moree last week.
Large groups of people, including many from Aboriginal communities from across the region came together, and COVID-19 has now spread like "wildfire".
"This is really a time to limit movement in the community as much as possible," Dr Durrheim said.
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The double dose vaccination rates in Moree lag behind and have not yet hit the 80 per cent milestone.
Dr Durrheim warned unvaccinated residents that the perils of COVID-19 are coming very close to home, and now is the time to get a jab with the case count expected to balloon further.
Health authorities have urged people to distance, stay home and follow all health advice.
Anyone with even mild symptoms should get a COVID-19 test and isolate until a result is received.
Hundreds of residents in the New England North West have been forced into isolation as they await test results and after two "house parties" in Moree last Thursday and an event on Saturday were confirmed as close contact exposure sites.
A funeral in town last Thursday has been announced as a casual contact site, as have two disability care services in Inverell.
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall announced additional healthcare workers and support had been deployed to Moree as the situation unfolds.
Leaders - including mayor Katrina Humphries and local police - held an emergency meeting on Thursday.
Of the new Moree shire cases, 30 were in the town, one was in Mungindi and two were in Boggabilla.
It's marks a surge from two new coronavirus cases in the previous two days, which were the shire's first active infections, ever.
Manilla and Uralla recorded positive sewage detections though there are no known cases in the areas.
HNEH confirmed 103 new cases across the district and the state clocked 308 new infections and four deaths in the latest update.
Exposure sites
Moree close contacts:
House party on Adelaide Street on Thursday, October 28
House party on Barwon Avenue on Thursday, October 28
Aero Club private function on Saturday, October 30
Moree casual contacts:
Funeral and wake on Thursday, October 28
Inverell casual contacts:
Best Community Connections Disability and Respite Care on Vivien Street in Inverell
- Monday, October 25, from 9:30am to 2:30pm
- Tuesday, October 26, from 9:30am to 2:30pm
- Thursday, October 28, from 9:30am to 2:30pm
- Friday, October 29, from 9:30am to 2:30pm
Best Community Connections Respite Care on Sapphire Street in Inverell
- Friday, October 29 to Sunday, October 31 at all times invlusive
Where to get a test
Moree area:
- 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
Tamworth area:
- Laverty Pathology drive through
- Granny Munroe Park
- Tamworth hospital
- Douglass Hanly Moir pathology
Where to get a vaccine
Appointments in Moree can be booked online via the federal government's vaccine checker.
Appointments in Tamworth can be booked the same way.
Walk-in Pfizer clinics were held in Kootingal and Moonbi on Thursday and will open in Bendemeer and Somerton early next week.
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