Cruise ship skips Newcastle after COVID outbreak

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A cruise ship with COVID cases onboard has skipped its planned Newcastle stop on Tuesday morning.

The Grand Princess was scheduled to reach the Port of Newcastle around 6am, but continued down the coast.

It's understood, the company cancelled the stop late on Monday, because of uncertainty from Hunter New England Health around whether passengers could disembark.

A spokesperson for the health district said the Public Health Unit had applied the Eastern Seaboard and Western Australian Cruise Protocols, asking that all passengers be tested before disembarking.

It's believed there's a large number of infected passengers on the vessel.

"[Hunter New England] had also engaged Princess Cruises on ways to best manage and support those on board with COVID-19," the spokesperson said.

"And how to reduce COVID-19 transmission in regional communities if passengers were to disembark in Newcastle."

It's understood the ship is set to arrive in Melbourne on Thursday, though it's not clear how many passengers are infected with COVID.

Mandatory COVID isolation to end in the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Mandatory COVID isolation will end in the Hunter and across Australia in just two weeks' time.

The Premiers and Chief Ministers have met with the Prime Minister at National Cabinet on Friday morning, agreeing to end the mandates on October 14.

Each state and territory will make its own legislation on the issue, but the rules are expected to be consistent across Australia.

The pandemic leave payments will also end on that same date, though it will be maintained for workers in high-risk settings such as aged care, healthcare, and disability care.

The Chief Medical Officer says it's a sensible decision, owing to high rates of vaccination and immunity via previous infection.

Port of Newcastle welcomes first cruise ship since pandemic

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Port of Newcastle has welcomed its first cruise ship in more than two years on Wednesday morning.

The Coral Princess arrived on its maiden voyage, the first since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 294-metre ship can carry as many as 2,390 passengers, and is set to visit the Port five times between August 10 and September 25.

All passengers will need to complete a rapid antigen test before they disembark in the city.

Newcastle welcomed the Coral Princess on Wednesday morning.

Belmont's mass vaccination hub to shut its doors

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The mass vaccination hub at Belmont is set to shut its doors on July 1. 

Hunter New England says, demand at the former Bunnings site is waning, after almost a year of delivering COVID-19 vaccines to the public. 

Around 271,000 of the 429,292 vaccinations across the region, were performed at Belmont. 

A smaller clinic will replace the site at the Wallsend Health Campus.

Dr David Durrheim named Lake Macquarie Ambassador for 2022

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Dr David Durrheim has been named as the Lake Mac Ambassador at the 2022 Lake Mac Awards.

The physician is being honoured for his work in helping guide the Hunter through the COVID-19 pandemic as a public health controller at Hunter New England Health.

He says, the past few years have shone a spotlight on public health.

"It's quite clear that everybody is now an amateur epidemiologist, and all of us really, as a very large team, have worked together in this public health crisis," Dr Durrheim said.

"The last time this happened was 100 years ago, in the 1918-1919 flu pandemic, and it's been to me, incredibly heartening to see how the community and the health service have all worked together."

Dr Durrheim joined more than 90 nominees, finalists, and thirteen winners at Belmont 16s on Saturday night.

Rhiannan Iffland, a five-time world champion diver, was named Sports Star of the Year, while 11-year-old Xavier Neil was awarded Young Citizen of the Year for his efforts to raise more than $70,000 for local cancer charities. 

Lake Macquarie charity Hope in a Suitcase, which helps supply foster kids with necessities, received an award for Community Group of the Year, while OzHarvest volunteer June Butler was named as Volunteer of the Year.

Dr Durrheim says it's a real honour to be recognised alongside so many other members of the community.

"It's incredibly humbling to actually have attended the event and just to have heard the wonderful and remarkable stories of community volunteers and the work that's being done across Lake Macquarie, by diverse groups of people, particularly during the last two very challenging years," Dr Durrheim said.

"It's an absolute delight to be part of the Lake Macquarie community. It's a beautiful part of the world - arguably, the most beautiful city in Australia, and I think we're very fortunate to live in a community where people do look after each other in a beautiful environment."

80 people in Hunter hospitals as daily COVID updates draw to a close

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter New England Health District is caring for 80 COVID cases in hospital, with five people in intensive care.  

No one has passed away in the latest reporting period.  

It's not clear how many of the State's 9,849 cases are in the Hunter.

NSW Health says it will no longer provide an in-depth daily update on the figures.  

The Department will provide a statewide tally, however, though cases and deaths will not be broken down by health district. 

Lake Macquarie man passes away as restrictions eased this evening

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter New England is again leading the health districts, with 2,105 new COVID cases today.

Sadly, a man in his 70s from Lake Macquarie has passed away with the virus.

The Health District is caring for 98 people in hospital, with two people in intensive care.

Isolation requirements for close contacts of COVID cases will also be ditched in NSW from 6pm this evening.

However, household contacts will need to do daily RAT tests, wear a mask indoors, and avoid high-risk settings and elderly and immunocompromised people.

Two new COVID deaths as Hunter New England again leads in new cases

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter New England has recorded 2,417 new COVID cases today, almost 400 cases more than the second-highest district.

Sadly, a woman in her 80s from Cessnock and a man in his 80s from Lake Macquarie have passed away with the virus.

91 patients are in hospital across the health district, with three people in intensive care.

Hunter's at-risk residents apprehensive as COVID rules dropped

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter's saying goodbye to isolation requirements for close contacts of COVID cases tomorrow, but not everyone in the community is welcoming the move. 

Business is praising the State Government's decision, with hopes it will ease the pressure on hospitality and retail grappling with staff shortages. 

But people living with disabilities and immunocompromised conditions have raised concern, it's too soon to lift the restrictions.

David Belcher, a peer organiser with Community Disability Alliance Hunter, says the pandemic is far from over.

"Again, it seems like the State Government is just glossing over the fact that's there still vulnerable people out in the community," Mr Belcher said.

"The general public should still be aware, that COVID's very, very real in our community, people are still dying, and there's high death rates of people with COVID since the pandemic started."

From 6pm on Friday, unless they have symptoms, close contacts won't need to spend seven days at home.

The scrapping of isolation rules does have caveats, however - they will need to do daily RAT tests, wear a mask indoors, and avoid high-risk settings and elderly and immunocompromised people.

But Mr Belcher says, despite the terms and conditions, it still leaves people with few options.

"It's all well and good for those without a pre-existing condition - you can just isolate until you feel safe and comfortable," Mr Belcher said.

"But the reality is for most people with disability, one, it's mentally not a great idea, and two, in a lot of circumstances it's actually not even capable, because people with disabilities may need support workers, or other types of support to come into their house."

It comes as Hunter New England continues to lead the health districts in the number of new cases across New South Wales.

Vaccine mandates for most workers and passenger caps on public transport are also set to soon be ditched.

Mr Belcher says the community should have been properly consulted before the move went ahead.

"What we should be looking at is a way where we can truly live with COVID in our community, where people are still feeling safe, where their needs and their desires to be a part of the community are respected," Mr Belcher said.

"That may mean using masks, it may mean isolating for a short period of time."

Isolation requirements dropped for COVID close contacts in the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Isolation requirements for household contacts of COVID cases, are out the door for the Hunter and New South Wales.  

The NSW Premier made the announcement this morning.

Unless they have symptoms, close contacts won't need to spend seven days at home, though they will need to do daily RAT tests, wear a mask indoors, and avoid high-risk settings and elderly and immunocompromised people.

The changes are in force from 6pm on Friday.

Green transport stickers, most health mandates for businesses, and hotel quarantine are also being scrapped, though mandatory vaccination for workers will remain in some settings.  

Premier Dominic Perrottet says it's not the end of the pandemic, but an important step forward. 

Lake Macquarie man dies with COVID-19

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter New England has recorded 1,449 new COVID cases. 

It's topped the list of health districts, in the number of new cases, yet again.  

Sadly, a man in his 80s from Lake Macquarie has passed away with the virus.  

The health district is caring for 82 people in hospital, with two cases in intensive care.  

Lake Macquarie woman passes away with COVID-19

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A Lake Macquarie woman in her 90s has passed away with COVID-19.

It comes as Hunter New England records 2,532 new COVID cases, again the highest total across all health districts.

The Health District is caring for 86 people in hospital, including one case in intensive care.

Hunter New England continues to hold the lead in new COVID cases

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter New England is leading the health districts in new COVID cases for another straight day.  

There's no new deaths in the Hunter, but a woman in her 90s from the Mid Coast has passed away.

The health district has recorded 1,832 new cases overnight.  

74 people are in hospital.  

Three are in intensive care.  

Two people pass away with COVID in the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter New England has again led the health districts in new COVID cases today, recording 3,128 cases in the latest reporting period.

Sadly, two people from the Hunter have passed away with the virus - a man in his 70s from Maitland, and a woman in her 80s from Lake Macquarie.

The Health District is caring for 66 people in hospital, with one person in intensive care.

Port Stephens man passes away with coronavirus

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A man in his 80s from Port Stephens has passed away with COVID-19 overnight.

Hunter New England has recorded 2,544 new COVID cases in the latest reporting period.

The Health District is caring for 69 people in hospital, and seven in intensive care.

Maitland man passes away with COVID-19

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter New England has recorded 2,158 new COVID cases today.

Sadly, a man in his 70s from Maitland has passed away with the virus.

The Health District is caring for 75 people in hospital, with seven in intensive care.

Hunter residents urged to roll up sleeves for flu shot and fourth COVID vaccine

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The rollout of a fourth COVID-19 vaccine or second booster has been launched in the Hunter today, ahead of an expected surge in cases in Winter.

People aged 65 or older, Indigenous Australians aged 50 or older, residents in aged or disability care facilities, and immunocompromised individuals are all being urged to roll up their sleeves for another jab.

The second booster is being recommended four months after the first.

It comes amid calls for the public to grab a flu shot too, with concerns around vaccine complacency and an influenza surge also on the cards.

Two-month-old baby at John Hunter died of COVID, coroner confirms

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The coroner has confirmed, the death of a two-month-old baby at the John Hunter Hospital in December, was due to COVID-19.

NSW Health says the child had no underlying health conditions, and had the Omicron variant.

The death was first reported in January, but it was referred to the coroner to investigate if the virus was the cause.

Hunter's COVID cases leap amid data mishap

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter New England's daily COVID count has jumped to 3,213 new local cases today.

It comes as the State records 30,402 new cases, though around 10,000 of those are RAT tests that should have been recorded in Sunday and Monday's figures.

There are no new deaths to report in the Hunter. 

The Health District is caring for 38 people, with three cases in intensive care.

That's nine more people in hospital than yesterday.

Hunter New England breaks its streak of topping NSW in new cases

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter New England recorded 728 new COVID cases today and no deaths.

184 of those cases were from PCR tests and 544 were from RAT tests. 

It's the first day in weeks the health district hasn't led New South Wales in new cases.

The health district is now caring for 24 cases in hospital, with four people in intensive care.

Across New South Wales, health has recorded 5,856 new COVID cases and 6 deaths.

This brings the State to 1,136 cases in hospital, with 55 in intensive care.

54.1 percent of adults have now received three shots of a COVID-19 vaccine.

 

We're being urged to remain vigilant, despite the easing of most COVID restrictions last Friday.