Far West LHD COVID-19 Update - 5 More Cases
The Far West Local Health District (FWLHD) reported five new cases of COVID-19 to 8pm last night. The total number of cases reported in the District is 315 (three in Balranald, 123 in Broken Hill, 152 in Wilcannia, one in Menindee and 36 in Wentworth LGA).
One case previously reported in Balranald has been removed from the total numbers as they are actually residing in Victoria.
One of the new cases is in Broken Hill and four are in Gol Gol (Wentworth LGA).
Two are household contacts, two are linked to known cases and one is under investigation. 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.
The District's total number of recovered cases is 292 (one from Balranald, 121 from Broken Hill, one from Menindee, 17 from Wentworth LGA and 152 from Wilcannia).
The total number of active cases is 22 (19 in Wentworth LGA, two in Balranald and one in Broken Hill).
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.
Surveillance testing continues in Broken Hill and Wilcannia 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.
COVID-19 testing in Wilcannia is available at:
Wilcannia Swimming Pool, Reid Street, 10am to 2pm, Monday to Friday.
Wilcannia Health Service, Saturday and Sunday.
Find your nearest testing clinic here: COVID-19 testing clinics | NSW Government.
Sewage surveillance testing has detected traces of the virus that causes COVID-19 in samples taken at Broken Hill (21 October), Wilcannia (19 October) and Dareton and Buronga (20 October). Residents are urged to be vigilant and come forward for testing. Sewage testing in South Broken Hill did not detect the virus (21 October),
Two ADF Medical Teams supported by Far West LHD staff will hold a number of pop-up mobile vaccination clinics throughout Wentworth LGA and Balranald starting today (Monday 25 October 2021).
The clinics will offer the Pfizer vaccine and predominantly focus on the local Indigenous residents in these towns, who may have had difficulty in accessing vaccination clinics. There may also be further clinics held at different locations during the week based on feedback and demand from the community.
The mobile clinics will be held in the following towns:
Wentworth - Monday, 25 October
o Swimming pool, 10am to 12noon
o Darling St Oval/Park, 12.30pm to 4pm (BBQ lunch available)
o Darling Junction, 10am to 4pm (BBQ lunch available)
Dareton - Tuesday, 26 October
o Namatjira, 10am to 1pm (BBQ lunch available)
o Caltex Service Station, 10am to 4pm
Gol Gol - Wednesday, 27 October
o James King Park/Tennis Courts, 10am to 4pm (BBQ lunch available)
Buronga - Wednesday, 27 October
o 25 Pitman Avenue (Crane Drive Water Tower), 10am to 12noon
o Midway Centre, 12.30pm to 4pm (BBQ lunch available)
Euston - Thursday, 28 October
o Anderson Park, 30 Perry St, 11am to 3pm (BBQ lunch available)
o Euston Bowling and Recreation Club, 11am to 3pm
Balranald - Friday, 29 October
o Lions Park, 10am to 4pm (BBQ lunch available)
o Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation, 10am to 4pm (BBQ lunch available)
There are currently no casual contact venues listed in the Far West LHD. 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 LHD 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). People who were not vaccinated at the time of contracting the virus are also eligible to be vaccinated as soon as they become COVID-19 negative. 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.