Bega Valley has seen its second COVID-related death in a week with a man in his 60s losing his life on Thursday.
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Southern NSW Local Health District revealed the Bega Valley man, as well as a man in his 80s from the Queanbeyan-Palerang Shire, died in the 24 hour reporting period to 8pm January 20.
It follows the earlier deaths of a Bega Valley man and Goulburn man on Monday, and a Queanbeyan man on Wednesday.
There have now been nine deaths in the district since June 2021.
Meanwhile, 525 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Southern NSW over the past 24 hours - 363 cases were detected by PCR tests and 162 cases were detected by RAT tests.
Of the 363 cases confirmed by PCR tests, 42 were in the Bega Valley and 110 in the Eurobodalla.
To see all active cases by LGA or suburb please go to the NSW Health webpage: https://loom.ly/Hpmz9sU
Updated guidelines
To ease pressure on testing clinics, NSW Health has recently updated testing guidelines to advise that most people can use a rapid antigen test to confirm they are positive for COVID-19.
If someone has tested positive to a rapid antigen test (RAT) they generally do not need a PCR test to confirm the result.
People only need to do a PCR test if:
- they have been asked to have a PCR test by a health care provider
- they have COVID-19 symptoms, but have tested negative on a rapid antigen test AND are at higher risk of severe disease including those who are pregnant, immunosuppressed, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Pacific Islander, or unvaccinated
- they have symptoms and can't get a rapid antigen test
Anyone who tests positive using a RAT is now required to register their result with Service NSW via the website or app under a Public Health Order.
Registering your RAT result enables NSW Health to provide you with advice on self-isolation and managing COVID-19 symptoms at home, to connect high risk people to clinical care services and to help inform the ongoing public health response.
To see all active cases by LGA or suburb, use the NSW health webpage
Anyone yet to get vaccinated or book in for their booster should do so as soon as possible to protect their health and that of their family, friends and community. Visit: https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/booking/
Ben Smyth
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
