11.15am Sunday: Seven new cases

COVID UPDATE - 11.15AM SUNDAY August 8

7 NEW LOCAL CASES / EXPOSURE SITE UPDATE

There are 7 new cases in the Hunter-New England health district. This includes four new cases in the Lake Mac-Newcastle area – two young people linked to the Blacksmith Beach gathering and two to the University of Newcastle outbreak. There are also new cases in a student at Morisset High School (which I reported earlier today) who is a close contact of a previously reported case, and a man in his 30s from Raymond Terrace – the source of his infection is under investigation. There was also one new case in Armidale, a household contact of the two cases reported yesterday.

This brings the total number of cases in our health district to 20.

NSW has recorded 262 new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. Of those, at least 71 were infectious for some period while in the community before their positive test.

Three new cases have been identified on the Central Coast, all of whom are contacts of previously reported cases. Two cases are linked to Lake Munmorah Public School and one case is a household contact of a case linked to a workplace in Sydney. This brings to 12 the total number of cases on the Central Coast.

There are 351 people currently being treated for Covid-19 in NSW hospitals, with 58 in ICU and 24 on ventilators. Sadly, another death occurred overnight in Sydney. That brings the total death toll from the latest Sydney outbreak to 28.

Tracers are still working to update the list of exposure sites in the local area. Aside from the sites I published yesterday and this morning, there are several new ones which I've added below. I will republish a full up-to-date list later today when more is known, but these are the new ones issued by HNE Health:

New COVID-19 Exposure Sites

Anyone who attended the following venues on the specified dates and times are considered close contacts and must get tested and isolate for 14 days, and await further advice from NSW Health:

Ampol Service Station, Maryland on

Friday 6 August from 4.30am – 10am

Nextra Newsagency, Charlestown Square on Thursday 29 July 3.15pm – 3.22pm and 4.18pm – 4.24pm

Barber Industries, Westfield Kotara on

Thursday 5 August from 1.30pm – 2pm

University of Newcastle

Any student who has been a resident of International House, Callaghan Campus, University of Newcastle, that has also been on campus between Wednesday 28 July – Saturday 7 August is also considered a close contact.

Anyone who attended the following venues on the specified dates and times are casual contacts (unless they have been contacted by NSW Health as close contacts) and must get tested and isolate until a negative test result is received:

KFC, Charlestown Square on Monday 2 August from 12.45pm – 1.10pm

Charlestown Square Foodcourt on Thursday 5 August from 12.41pm – 1.10pm

Cha Time, Westfield Kotara on Thursday 5 August from 2.06pm – 2.11pm

Prouds, Westfield Kotara on Thursday 5 August from 1.59pm – 2.06pm

7 Eleven Service Station, Shortland

Wednesday 28 July from 9pm – 9.05pm

Friday 30 July from 3.15am – 3.25am

Sunday 1 August from 4.37am – 4.47am

Oval 2 (soccer match), University of Newcastle on Wednesday 4 August from 5.30pm – 6.42pm

Cha Time, Westfield Kotara on Thursday 5 August from 2.06pm – 2.11pm

Cha Time, Charlestown Square on Monday 2 August from 12.41pm – 12.44pm

More exposure sites may be announced as investigations continue.