Western Local Health District records 25 new COVID-19 cases in Dubbo and Walgett - ABC News

Twenty new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the Western New South Wales Local Health District (LHD).

Key points:

• Patients are set to be transferred out of the Western NSW LHD in a bid to protect vulnerable people in multi-purpose facilities
• Fears of the virus spreading in Aboriginal communities are intensifying
• Police and health officials are urging people to get vaccinated and stick to the lockdown rules

There were 17 new positive COVID cases confirmed in Dubbo up to 9:00am, two new cases in Walgett, and a case in Bathurst jail.

The new cases have increased the total cases in the region to 26.

A number of new exposure sites have been listed in Dubbo, as well as one in Walgett.

Hospitals across the Western NSW LHD are on red alert and visitors and staff are required to wear extensive protective equipment.

The LHD has also postponed non-urgent elective surgery at Dubbo Base Hospital from Monday.

All emergency surgery and urgent elective surgery will continue unaffected.

Another man has tested positive for COVID-19 at the Bathurst jail, just days after an inmate tested positive at the prison before travelling home to Walgett on bail.

Corrective Services New South Wales says the 29-year-old man was a new arrival and was swabbed as a routine procedure, and is not believed to be linked to the earlier case.

He has been in a single cell since arriving at the centre on Wednesday and contact tracing is underway.

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The Indigenous community in western NSW is uniquely threatened by COVID-19.(ABC News)

Patients to be moved

The LHD says people who become ill from COVID-19 and need hospital treatment may be moved hundreds of kilometres from their homes to protect their communities.

It said sick residents would likely be sent to larger hubs in order to protect rural and remote areas with multi-purpose services that double as aged care homes.

Chief executive Scott McLachlan said the LHD's biggest hospitals in Dubbo, Orange and Bathurst were best placed to look after people too unwell to stay at home.

"One of our real priorities will be to make sure that we don't have COVID coming into a facility with frail elderly residents," he said.

"That may mean we need to transport patients away from their local home community or multi-purpose service."

Meanwhile, COVID-19 testing is ramping up in Dubbo, with a third site established for walk-in patients at Pioneer Park in the city's west.

The two other clinics are at the Dubbo Showground and COVID Safe Clinic on Myall Street.

Additional drive-through services are available at Wellington Health Service, Alex Trevallion Park at Walgett, Narromine Showground and Nyngan's Flood Memorial Park.

Walgett has recorded two new COVID-19 infections.(

ABC Western Plains: Hugh Hogan

)

Concerns for vulnerable communities

There are concerns that Aboriginal people in the western region are particularly at risk, with fears COVID-19 is circulating in Indigenous communities at Dubbo and Walgett.

LIVE UPDATES: Read our blog for the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic

Mr McLachlan said he was worried about the spread of the virus among vulnerable people and that it was important for testing and vaccinations to continue at a high rate.

"What we are seeing is community spread within the Aboriginal community, both in Dubbo and in Walgett," he said.

"Now, that's incredibly concerning — the last thing we want to see is some of our most vulnerable community members impacted with COVID-19, and particularly with this Delta strain."

Extra Pfizer doses are being fast-tracked to the region and mobile crews will be in Walgett today – and Lightning Ridge and Collarenabri in coming days – to administer them.

Walgett Aboriginal Land Council community liaison officer Odie Welsh says food hampers are being distributed to elders.(

ABC Western Plains: Hugh Hogan

)

Push to protect elders

The move comes as a walk-in vaccination clinic opened at the Walgett RSL this morning in a bid to improve the town's level of immunisation.

Walgett has a large Aboriginal population, and the ABC understands fewer than 10 per cent of Indigenous people have gotten at least one jab.

Read more about COVID-19 vaccines:

Police Officer in Charge, Superintendent Trent Swinton, said the vaccine centre would be open for everyone.

"That is going to be in operation across Friday, Saturday and Sunday," he said.

"I would encourage community members within the LGA to come forward and get that vaccine."

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The Walgett Aboriginal Land Council is delivering food packages to vulnerable elders so they limit their time in the community during the lockdown.

"There's always a fear that we're going to have people panic buying," community liaison officer Odie Welsh said.

"So it's for a bit of reassurance, so these guys have food in their homes as we're starting this lockdown period."

What do you want to know about COVID-19? How has the pandemic impacted you? Send us your questions and comments here.

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2021-08-13 02:39:13Z
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