Miner positive – hotspot concern in Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter

HUNTER New England Health has confirmed a mine worker has tested positive and are concerned the Upper Hunter could change overnight and become a hotspot of transmission.

See video from Dr David Durrheim below.

Dr David Durrheim, Public Health Controller, urges residents of Muswellbrook and the Upper Hunter to get tested.

“The Upper Hunter has been relatively spared in the latest covid surge in the Hunter New England region, but unfortunately this has all changed overnight,” said Dr Durrheim.

“A person who has worked at an Upper Hunter mine has been diagnosed with covid and was infectious not only at the mine but also in the community and we really are concerned that there are going to be a number of risk sites, venues where people have been potentially exposed,” he said.

“The response that is necessary in the Upper Hunter, if we don’t want to see further spread of the virus in our community is to make sure we don’t ignore even the most trivial of symptoms; any runny nose, any sore throat, any cough, shortness of breath, fever, change in taste or smell please immediately go and get tested, isolate and wait for a negative result,” he said.

“This way we can avoid the Upper Hunter becoming a real hot-spot of covid transmission,” Dr David Durrheim said.

Related story: Contact venues identified in Muswellbrook.