COVID-19: New Cases In Newcastle

TWO new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the Newcastle area today, a male in his 20s and a male teenager, with all close contacts required to immediately self-isolate and get tested.

Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) have complied a new hot-spot list and are still working to identify any further contacts or venues visited by both individuals.

It is understood the teenage male attends St Pius X High School and plays for the Newcastle Jets under 15’s representative soccer squad.

All close contacts of the teenager, including his soccer team mates and members of the opposing team, who played a match at Arlington Oval in Dulwich Hill on August 1, will be required to isolate for 14 days.

Hunter New England Health urges anyone who attended the following venues at the specified times to immediately self-isolate and seek testing:

• Bennett Hotel, Hamilton – Friday 31 July, from 5.30pm to 10.00pm
• Greenroof Bar and Restaurant, Hamilton – Friday 31 July, from 10.00pm to 12 midnight
• Sushi Revolution, Hamilton on Saturday 1 August, from 12noon to 1.00pm
• Queens Wharf Hotel – Saturday 1 August from 9.30pm to 11.00pm
• Sydney Junction Hotel, Hamilton – Saturday 1 August, from 11:00pm to 1.15am Sunday 2 August
• Bar 88, Wests New Lambton – Sunday 2 August, from 5.00pm to 7.15pm
• McDonald Jones Stadium – Sunday 2 August, 7:30pm to end of game, Newcastle Jets V Western United match
• Team members of the Newcastle Jets under 15’s representative squad who played at at Arlington Oval in Dulwich Hill on 1 August
• Team members of the Stanmore Hawks under 15’s representative squad who played at at Arlington Oval in Dulwich Hill on 1 August.
• Anyone who caught the Number 26 school bus (Hamilton to Adamstown) to school on Monday 3 August, at 8.20am

Hunter New England Health also advises anyone who attended St Pius X High School (Adamstown) on Monday 3 August, to be on alert for any COVID-19 symptoms and to be tested immediately if symptoms occur.

The school has been notified and will be closed to allow contact tracing and thorough cleaning to occur.

Dr Kat Taylor, Public Health Controller for Hunter New England Health’s COVID-19 response said it is vital that people continue to get tested if they experience any symptoms and the District has enhanced their local testing capability, in preparation for increased demand.

 “I encourage everyone to follow directions they receive about home isolation and quarantine, and maintain COVID-safe practices of physical distancing, coughing or sneezing into their elbow, and regularly washing their hands,” Dr Taylor said.

“To ensure we can best serve the community during this time, we have enhanced our local testing capability,” she said.

“In addition to expanding our call centre capacity and the number of phone lines available to improve booking wait times, we will extend hours and capacity at a number of local clinics,” she said.

“However, please be patient if visiting a clinic or calling for a booking…we have thousands of testing opportunities throughout the course of today and will see people as quickly as possible,” said Dr Taylor.

Hunter New England Health will provide further updates as more information becomes available.

For a complete list of COVID-19 testing clinics and booking details, please visit: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/clinics.aspx