Hunter makes up 12 of the states 1485 COVID-19 cases

BY JARROD MELMETH

The Hunter has recorded another 12 cases of COVID-19 to 8pm on Saturday night.

The new cases have been detected in Abermain (1) Gundy (1), Thornton (1), Metford (1), Salamander Bay (2), Medowie (2), Heatherbrae (1), Nelson Bay (1), Shoal Bay (1) and Armidale (1).

NSW Health says the Armidale case is currently under investigation due to a weak positive and may be removed at a later time.

Half of the new cases were infectious while in the community including in Abermain, Thornton, Metford, Nelson Bay and Shoal Bay.

Health authorities have also announced two cases in New Lambton and Armidale announced in Saturdays numbers have been ruled out and removed. With the new and removed cases, the regions total now sits at 228 cases since the local outbreak began on August 5.

Statewide, NSW recorded another 1485 cases. Four more people have died with COVID-19. 

In some positive news, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says 40 per cent of the eligible population is now full vaccinated, while 73 per cent have had their first dose.

Anyone who attended the following venues at the specified dates and times is considered a casual contact and must get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

• Shoal Bay Pharmacy on Monday 30 August between 4:35pm - 4:40pm and Wednesday 1 September between 10:10am - 10:20am & 4:15pm - 4:25pm
• Shell Coles Express, Nelson Bay on Tuesday 31 August between 9:45am - 9:50am & 7:20pm - 7:25pm
• IGA, Shoal Bay on Wednesday 1 September between 8:50am - 8:55am & Thursday 2 September between 4:55pm - 5:05pm
• Belmont Vaccination Hub on Friday 3 September between 11:45am - 12:45am

14 of 15 new Hunter COVID-19 cases infectious in the community

BY JARROD MELMETH

The Hunters daily COVID-19 case numbers are continuing to climb with 15 new cases recorded today, bringing the regions total to 218 since August 5.

Concerningly, of the new cases, all but one were infectious while in the community.

The new cases were recorded in Shoal Bay (5), Heatherbrae (2), Fingal Bay (2), Medowie (1), Clarence Town (1), Thornton (2), Balcony (1) & Adamstown Heights (1).

The case in Adamstown Heights was the only one isolating while infectious.

Three of the new cases are linked to the Motto Farm Hotel cluster, with five secondary cases in the Hunter Community. Yesterday 2NURFM reported that health authorities were concerned about the motel as a COVID positive woman who was residing at Motto Farm at Heatherbrae and was infectious while in the community. Hunter New England Health confirmed on Friday they were aware there was "a lot of mixing" at the motel and subsequently tested and isolated all residents.

State wide, it was another record day for NSW with 1533 cases recorded to 8pm on Friday night. Four more people have also died with COVID-19 in the past 24-hours. 

Across the state there are currently 11,000 people being cared for with COVID. 1041 of those in are in hospital, 173 are in ICU.

Anyone who attended any of the following venues at the specified dates and times is considered a casual contact and must get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

• 7/11 Service Station, Croudace St, Lambton on Wednesday 25 August between 9:55am - 10am
• Coles, Waratah on Sunday 29 August between 2:30pm 2:35pm
• Cargo Espresso Bar, Redhead Beach on Friday 27 August between 10:30am - 10:40am
• Woolworths, Charlestown Square on Tuesday 24 August between 2:15pm - 2:35pm, 4pm - 4:35pm & Sunday 22 August between 3:30pm - 4pm
• Ampol Service Station, Anna Bay on Monday 23 August between 1:40pm - 1:50pm
• Caltex, Pacific Highway, Heatherbrae on Monday 30 August between 6am - 10am & Tuesday 31 August between 8:55pm - 9pm
• Woolworths, Belmont on Saturday 28 August between 4:55pm - 5:10pm
• Aldi, Belmont on Saturday 28 August from 4:35pm - 4:45pm

Another record day for the state as the Hunter records seven COVID-19 cases

BY JARROD MELMETH 

Seven new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the Hunter to 8pm on Saturday night, bringing the local outbreak to 180 cases since August 5.

The regions new cases are two in Maitland, two in Newcastle, two in Port Stephens and one in Cessnock.

In another record day for the state, New South Wales recorded 1218 cases in just 24 hours. Another another six people have also died with COVID.

A new COVID testing facility has opened in the Westfield Kotara car park. The site is operated by Kotara Family Practice and will run Monday to Friday. 

Hunter New England Health have listed exposure sites at Thornton and East Maitland.

Anyone who attended the following venues at the specified dates and times is considered a casual contact and must get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

• The Cheesecake Shop, East Maitland on Saturday 21 August between 11:35am - 11:45am
• Discount Drug Stores, Thornton on Monday 23 August between 6pm - 6:10pm & 6:20pm - 6:30pm
• Coles, Thornton on Monday 23 August between 6:10pm - 6:30pm

Pictured: Honeysuckle COVID testing clinic
Image: Jarrod Melmeth/2NURFM

15 COVID cases recorded in the Hunter, as Cardiff apartment building sent into lockdown

BY JARROD MELMETH

15 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the Hunter, bringing the regions total to 145 since August 5.

Of the new cases ten were recorded in Newcastle, three in Lake Macquarie and two in Maitland. 

All of the new cases are linked to previous ones while seven were infectious in the community.

State wide, NSW recorded 633 cases, the highest daily record in the state since the pandemic began in 2020, surpassing the previous state record of 478 recorded on Sunday.

The cases come as dozens of residents at a Cardiff apartment tower face an anxious wait after three people with COVID-19 sent their building into lockdown.

Hunter New England Health confirmed members of the same family tested positive to the virus and have since been moved to a different location to isolate.

The remaining residents in the 30 unit complex on Sturt Road have all been tested and told to stay in their building until they receive their results.

In other news, The Australian Defence Force have been deployed to help Newcastle Police with COVID compliance and welfare operations.

50 ADF personnel have been deployed to the region to conduct compliance checks of stay-at-home and self isolation orders as well as welfare door knocks.

New exposure sites at East Maitland, Beresfield, Kotara, The Junction, Maitland, Jewells and Mount Hutton were added overnight.

Anyone who visited the following venue on the specified dates and times is considered a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days.

• NewsXpress, East Maitland on Thursday 12 August between 6am - 11:10am

Anyone who visited the following venues on the specified dates and times is considered a casual contact and must get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

• The Steggles Shop, Beresfield on Thursday 12 August between 7:21am - 10:47am
• Reject Shop, Kotara Home Maker Centre on Saturday 7 August between 11:30am - 12pm
• Grill'd, The Junction on Sunday 8 August between 10:29am - 10:35am
• Reject Shop, High Street Maitland on Monday 9 August between 10:29am - 10:35am
• Coastal Electronic Repairs, Jewells on Wednesday 4 August from 10:45am - 11am
• Dunkley Dash Espresso Hut, Mount Hutton between 6:25am - 6:35am on Monday 2 August to Saturday 7 August. 

For the full list of dates and times for any of the venues of concern, head to the NSW Health website.

A facelift for Warners Bay foreshore

BY JESSICA ROUSE and GARY JON-LYSAGHT

Works are starting today on a major upgrade to Warners Bay foreshore, including new park benches, trees and even glow-in-the-dark pavers.

The works are all part of Lake Macquarie council's master plan for the foreshore, aiming to bring new life into the area which can see more than a thousand visitors every day.

Mayor Kay Fraser believes the upgrades will hugely benefit the area and bring even more people to the foreshore.

"There's a whole lot of works happening over the next year or two that's going to really activate the foreshore and bring people to the city and spend money. It will be good for business, and good for families wanting to go somewhere different and relax and enjoy the water."

Warners Bay foreshore plan.

The works will promote the beauty of the city with a blue pavement section in the plans, to represent the Lake, with a blue additive which will glow-in-the-dark.

"It's a dark blue and it'll be a real eye catcher," said Mayor Jay Fraser.

"We've also started that sandstone wall, so we're going to have 65m of that continuing along the foreshore. We will also have 500m2 of garden bed and because there's so many people using Warners Bay we're going to put an additional 30 new park benches in as well."

During construction, pedestrian access will be maintained along the foreshore, however there will be some sections closed off to the public throughout the construction.

To stay up to date head to www.lakemac.com.au