Residents in regional NSW have been told to be on “high alert” and come forward for testing after health authorities issued warnings for more than a dozen possible exposure sites.
Long queues have already begun forming in Dubbo,in the state’s Central West, and Moree, in the northern part of the state, with 13 venues now listed as primary exposure sites there and in Gillenbah and Forbes.
The woman drove with her partner from Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, breaching the state’s strict quarantine protocol and sparking a multi-state contact tracing effort.
Queensland health this morning confirmed the woman’s husband has also tested positive to COVID-19.
The two individuals are at the end of their infectious period, easing some concerns of widespread infection.
Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed must immediately get tested and isolate until they receive further information from NSW Health.
- Dubbo: Shell Petrol Station, Corner of Victoria and Whylandra Street, 2 June between 10.30am and 11.30am
- Moree: Woolworths store, 215 Balo Street, 3 June 3.30pm to 4.30pm
- Gillenbah: Caltex Narrandera 1 Newell Highway on Tuesday, 1 June between 10.30 am to 11am
- Forbes: Vandenberg Hotel 7 Court Street on Tuesday, 1 June between 6pm to 10pm
- Forbes: Brew Coffee Bar 1/99 Lachlan Street on Wednesday, 2 June between 7am to 10am
- Dubbo: CSC – Church Street Cafe 15 Church Street on Wednesday, 2 June between 11.30am to 2.30pm
- Dubbo: Reading Cinemas Dubbo 49 Macquarie Street on Wednesday, 2 June between 6pm to 10pm
- Dubbo: Homestead Motel 101 Cobra Street From Wednesday, 2 June at 12.00pm to Thursday, 3 June at 10am
- Moree: Gwydir Carpark/Motel & Thermal Pools 4 Amaroo Drive from Thursday, 3 June at 1.45pm and all day Friday, 4 June to Saturday, 5 June at 7.30am
- Moree: Cafe Omega 145 Balo Street on Thursday, 3 June between 1.30pm to 4.30pm , Friday, 4 June between 7am to 9.30am and 11.50am to 2pm
- Moree: Amaroo Tavern Amaroo Drive on Friday, 4 June between 4.30pm to 11pm
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said he is “very, very concerned” that the positive case was able to travel through three states while infectious.
Mr Hazzard said health authorities have not yet been able to question the woman and her partner as they are currently isolating in Queensland.
“It is too early make any definitive states on why these people were travelling through NSW,” he said.
“They are being interviewed by Queensland authorities and NSW Health has passed on questions which need to be asked … but a lot more information is still needed.
“What we need to understand was why that was done.”
Mr Hazzard urged people in the towns of Gillenbah, Forbes, Dubbo and Moree to come forward for testing.
“The message to our regional communities is to be on high alert,” he said.
