COVID-positive case linked to Gundagai food outlet

Anyone who attended Oliver’s Real Food at Gundagai last Friday evening between 5:30 pm and 6:06 pm is being asked to get tested for COVID-19 and isolate until they receive a negative test result.

The Gundagai community is awaiting more details after it was revealed a Victorian teen who had holidayed at Sydney’s Northern Beaches was on her way home with a parent when they stopped briefly at the food outlet.

The teen has since tested positive for COVID-19.

Anyone who attended this venue at the specified time should also continue to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and if any symptoms occur, get tested again.

There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD).

Additionally, anyone who visited Orange Central Square Shopping Centre between 4:05 pm and 4:15 pm on Saturday, 19 December is considered a casual contact who should monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately and isolate if they appear, self-isolating until they receive their result.

It was reported earlier today that a close contact of a healthcare worker reported in today’s numbers has tested positive for COVID-19.

This person travelled through Orange on Saturday, 19 December and was present at Orange Health Service and Orange Central Square Shopping Centre.

NSW Health says they did not enter any stores at the shopping centre or come into close contact with any individual during this time period.

All close contacts have been identified, have self-isolated and have undergone testing. All have returned a negative result.

Additional testing capacity will be made available at the Laverty drive-through service at the Orange Showground and at the Orange Hospital’s Fever Clinic from 10:00 am Wednesday.

Testing is also available at the Western Primary Health Network’s Respiratory Clinic at the Bloomfield Medical Centre on Forest Road on weekdays.

There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD).

Murrumbidgee Local Health District has also advised tighter visitor restrictions are again in place for all health facilities to protect residents and patients from infection of COVID-19.

In line with advice from NSW Health, no visitors will be granted access to MLHD’s Residential Aged Care facilities until tomorrow. Visitors undertaking essential caring functions will be given consideration but must wear a mask.

Visitors to MLHD’s hospital acute care are limited to two people and all visitors are required to wear a surgical mask.

Visitors from Greater Sydney, the Northern Beaches, Illawarra Shoalhaven and the Central Coast will be excluded from all Murrumbidgee health sites until further notice.

All health workers must wear a surgical mask if they are within 1.5 metres of patients.

MLHD continues to urge residents to be vigilant and practise good hand hygiene and physical distancing. They have also asked people not to visit loved ones if they are feeling unwell, or have cold or flu-like symptoms.

Health officials have advised people to get tested immediately, even if only the mildest symptoms – a fever, cough, sore, or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell – are present.

COVID-19 testing is free and most people get their result within 24 hours.

Members of the public are advised to minimise travel, increase personal awareness around hand hygiene and practise physical distancing.

MLHD reminds people to follow the rules around gatherings, maintain physical distance when they are out and about, and wash their hands frequently and thoroughly.

Anyone who believes they may have contracted the COVID-19 virus should call the Murrumbidgee COVID-19 Hotline on 1800 831 099 (open every day from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm) for a confidential over the phone assessment.