A POSITIVE case of COVID-19 has been detected in a New South Wales local government area bordering Wentworth Shire.
Far West Local Health District (FWLHD) yesterday said there had been one confirmed case of the virus in the Broken Hill local government area who was in isolation.
FWLHD said the person, who was infectious from August 13 and was identified after they became symptomatic on August 16, had travelled in the community while infectious, including to Wilcannia.
The positive result follows “grave concerns” aired at the weekend by health authorities that the virus could spread into western NSW.
Pop-up COVID-19 testing clinics were established at Dareton, Gol Gol and Wentworth on Sunday in response to the regional spread, but have remained quiet through the initial days of testing.
Mildura Base Public Hospital chief executive Terry Welch said the Broken Hill case was “quite concerning” given its close proximity to the Sunraysia region.
“Given our geography we are quite concerned in the sense that we understand people move through Broken Hill to get to other regions,” Mr Welch said.
“Anyone who comes to our hospital gets intensely screened and obviously that was escalated with NSW being in the lockdown,” he said.
“But we will now have an even greater focus on anyone who has been through Broken Hill now as well as the other places that we have been keeping an eye on.
“We’ve been watching NSW very intensely and screening accordingly just as we would anyone from metropolitan Melbourne and surrounds.
“We have to be proactive to keep on top of this situation so we are really encouraging the Mildura/Sunraysia community to be really vigilant, but also get tested and isolate if needed.”
The FWLHD said it would increasing the testing capacity in Broken Hill as of yesterday in response to the confirmed case.
Fragments of COVID-19 were detected in Broken Hill sewage samples taken on August 12, however four sewage tests at a Buronga facility this month and two each at Dareton and Wentworth have not detected the presence of COVID-19.
A FWLHD spokesperson said close contacts of the positive Broken Hill test who have been identified to date are in isolation, and undergoing testing, while investigations and contact tracing are continuing.
The spokesperson said that while Broken Hill residents are urged to limit their movements in the community, widespread COVID-19 testing was critical.
However, it has been slow going for testing sites established in the Wentworth Shire at Dareton’s George Gordon Oval, Wentworth Showgrounds and Gol Gol Football Oval despite calls for people in regional NSW to come forward for testing.
Far West Local Health District was still tallying total testing numbers on Monday afternoon, but the Gol Gol site had only had about 10 people through by 2pm, according to reports.
According to the latest vaccination data provided by the Federal Government, just 16.3 per cent of people aged 15 and over in the far west NSW have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the lowest rate in the state and below the national average.
“Stay home and leave your home for the most minimum of time and every time you’re out and about, assume you have the infection or that you will come in contact with someone may have the infection,” NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said.
“Too many people are infectious in the community.”
There are currently no confirmed cases in the Wentworth local government area.
Wentworth Shire Council’s office at Wentworth and the Midway Centre in Buronga, as well as shire libraries, will remain closed to the public until further notice, however staff are available via phone on 5027 5027.
Buronga Landfill will remain open, however the Pomona Tip and Wentworth and Dareton transfer stations are closed until further notice.
The Wentworth Visitor Information Centre is also closed for face-to-face services, but can still be phoned on 5027 5080.
