Far West LHD COVID-19 Update - 1 More Case

The one case is in Dareton and is a household contact. All active cases are in isolation and are being contacted regularly by NSW Health staff for health and welfare checks. Follow up investigations and contact tracing are continuing.

Eight more cases recovered yesterday (all in Broken Hill). The District's total number of recovered cases is 262 (one from Balranald, 109 from Broken Hill and 152 from Wilcannia).

The total number of active cases is 31 (12 in Broken Hill, one in Menindee, and 18 in Dareton).

Sewage surveillance testing has detected traces of the virus that causes COVID-19 in Wentworth from a sample taken on 12 October 2021. Residents in Wentworth are urged to be vigilant and come forward for testing regardless of symptoms.

Dareton residents are urged to limit their movements in the community at this time and widespread COVID-19 testing is critical. Anyone currently experiencing, or who has recently experienced even mild cold-like symptoms is asked to come forward immediately for testing. It's important that you isolate after your test until you get a result if you have symptoms.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, sore throat, cough, headache, runny nose, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches or pains, and a change in taste or smell.

We are concerned with the low rates of testing, particularly in Broken Hill and urge residents to come out in force and get tested, even if you are not sure you have any symptoms.

Surveillance Testing has been introduced for Broken Hill to encourage more people to get tested. Surveillance testing is the same as normal COVID-19 testing but allows the person to not have to self-isolate while they wait for their test results, provided they have no symptoms and they are not a close or casual contact of a confirmed case and everyone at home is well. Anyone with symptoms must still isolate until they receive a negative result.

COVID-19 testing in Broken Hill is available at:

• Memorial Oval, 9am to 5pm, seven days a week.

• RFDS (BH Airport), 10am to 2.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Find your nearest testing clinic here: COVID-19 testing clinics | NSW Government.

FWLHD will be hosting a pop-up Pfizer vaccination clinic in Dareton on Friday the 15 October from 9:30am to 3pm. It will be held at the Dareton Library/ Senior Citizens Centre, 30 Millie Street Dareton and appointments are not necessary. The clinic is for New South Wales residents only and the FWLHD urges the Dareton community to come forward to receive their first or second dose.

There are a number of casual contact venues in the Far West LHD. Anyone who attended these venues on the specified dates and times listed is a casual contact (unless they have been contacted by NSW Health as a close contact) and must get tested and isolate until a negative test result is received.

For a full list of locations, including close and casual contact venues, public transport routes or changes to previously reported venues, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/COVID-19/nsw-COVID-19-case-locations

Anyone in the community with COVID-19 who is isolating at home is reminded they should call the public health unit on +61 1300 066 055 if they have any health concerns. Please call triple zero (000) in an emergency, including a deterioration in symptoms.

Far West Local Health District continues to urge eligible people to come forward for vaccination (providing they are not cases, contacts of cases, are not isolating, and do not have symptoms). Those aged 12 years and above are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination. People can make bookings via the Commonwealth Government's Vaccine Clinic Finder.