It’s been five weeks since NSW Local Health District has recorded a locally acquired COVID-19 case. Photo: Mufid Majnun.
The Southern NSW Local Health District has gone five weeks without recording a locally acquired COVID-19 case.
The area is home to about 200,000 residents and includes Batemans Bay, Bega, Bombala, Braidwood, Cooma, Crookwell, Delegate, Goulburn, Moruya, Pambula, Queanbeyan and Yass.
The last locally acquired case was on 19 October in Goulburn.
Four people who live in the local health district have returned positive COVID-19 tests since then, however they acquired the virus overseas and have remained in hotel quarantine. Two of those people are from Yass Valley, one is from Goulburn Mulwaree and one is from the Eurobodalla.
To date, there have been 4963 COVID-19 tests conducted in the Southern NSW Local Health District area. Of those, 68 returned positive tests with 13 acquiring the virus locally from a known case or cluster, and 55 acquiring the virus from overseas.
Number of COVID-19 cases by location:
- Eurobodalla – 18
- Goulburn Mulwaree – 13
- Queanbeyan-Palerang – 11
- Bega Valley – 9
- Snowy Monaro – 6
- Yass Valley – 8
- Upper Lachlan Shire – 3
Western Sydney and Moss Vale remain the only places in NSW with active cases. NSW Health believes the five cases in the Moss Vale cluster and the 13 cases in the Liverpool private clinic cluster are linked by an additional two people who had contact with both clusters.
However, NSW Health is calling on people in the Batemans Bay area to get tested for COVID-19 – even if they have the mildest symptoms – after fragments of the virus were detected in the sewerage system.
While this positive result may be explained by a previous case who is no longer infectious, as a precaution NSW Health is calling on people in the Batemans Bay area, or those who visited the area between 17 November and 20 November, to get tested.
The NSW Government reopened the border to Victoria at midnight on Monday, 23 November, after there were no newly acquired cases in either state.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the reopening date should give people confidence to make plans, book holidays and reunite with family members in the lead-up to Christmas.
“I want to thank the community, particularly in our border towns, for their patience during what has been an extremely difficult time,” she said.
“We have worked closely with the Victorian Government throughout the border closure and will continue to monitor the situation as restrictions are eased.
“Our policy in NSW is to keep moving forward and operating in a COVID-19-safe manner. The reopening of the NSW-Victorian border is another step in the right direction.”
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