NSW records 2213 COVID-19 cases as further Newcastle ‘venues of concern’ identified
NSW reported 2213 new COVID-19 cases on Friday and one death, as close to 100 people linked to a Sydney music event tested positive in the past week and 50 cases were linked to three Newcastle venues.
It sets another daily record for NSW, after a total of 1742 cases on Thursday.
There were 127,583 tests in the 24-hour period to 8pm Thursday night, as people planning to travel interstate for the festive season join long queues with those identified as close or casual contacts.
There a 215 coronavirus patients in NSW hospitals, up from 192 on Thursday. Of those hospitalised, 24 are in intensive care.
NSW hospitals have moved back to “red alert” operations, meaning visitors have been temporarily restricted at healthcare facilities due to the emergence of the Omicron variant. Visitors will be permitted in some essential and compassionate circumstances including for women in labour and palliative care.
“Local Health Districts will apply a risk assessment to allow local exemptions on a case-by-case basis,” NSW Health said. “Any person permitted to visit must be fully vaccinated, agree to wear a mask and follow advice from healthcare staff.”
Additional venues of concern have been identified by NSW Health in Newcastle, associated with at least 50 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
“It is likely many of these cases have the Omicron variant of concern,” the department said on Friday morning.
Anyone who attended the following venues is asked to monitor for symptoms and, if they arise, to get tested for COVID-19 and isolate until a negative result is received.
- The Great Northern Hotel from 12.01am until close on Saturday, December 11.
- Finnegan’s Hotel from 7pm until close on Saturday, December 11.
- The Cambridge Hotel from 7pm until close on Saturday, December 11 and 6pm until close on Sunday, December 12.
Finnegan’s Hotel and The Cambridge Hotel have both previously also been listed as exposure sites for Friday, December 10.
On Thursday afternoon, a public health alert was issued for a Taylor Swift-themed party in Sydney last week after at least 97 people linked to the event tested positive to COVID-19, including some likely to be the Omicron variant.
All 600 attendees at “On Repeat: Taylor Swift Red Party”, held at the Metro Theatre on George Street from 9pm on Friday, December 10, have been categorised as close contacts and must get tested and isolate for seven days.
The Lunar Electric Music Festival, scheduled in Newcastle this weekend, has also been cancelled under a public health order due to the ongoing spread of the virus in the area and “extensive transmission” of COVID-19 at several other venues and events.
Restrictions only eased for music festivals in NSW on Wednesday, allowing up to 20,000 attendees, and organisers had planned to have free masks available.
“We have done everything we could, and followed all government directives in the lead up to this event,” festival organisers said online. “However, NSW Health has deemed the current outbreak situation too high risk for a festival to take place this weekend.”
For the NSW population aged 16 and over, 94.8 per cent have had one COVID-19 vaccine dose and 93.3 per cent are fully vaccinated.
In 12- to 15-year-olds, the first-dose coverage is 81.4 per cent, and 77.9 per cent double-dose.
Source: smh.com.au
