Dozens of new COVID cases have been detected in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District and a new community is on alert after sewage surveillance returned positive results for the virus.
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Thirty more Albury residents, including two at a private care facility, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, accounting for the majority of the 35 cases found in the MLHD in the 24 hours to 8pm hursday.
The Federation and Greater Hume local government areas [LGAs] each recorded two new detections, while one more case is a resident of the Murray River region.
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A staff member of Greater Hume Council has tested positive to COVID, the organisation announced, and the Culcairn office has closed for cleaning on Friday.
"The staff member last worked at the Culcairn office on Monday and Tuesday, however the staff member has not had any contact with members of the public at the Culcairn office and therefore members of the public would be at very low risk," the council has advised.
"Members of the public that visited Council's Culcairn Office on Monday or Tuesday should monitor for symptoms and if displayed get tested immediately."
Sewage surveillance has returned positive results at Leeton, Boorowa, Albury and Mulwala in the last 24 hours, the MLHD confirmed as it renews calls for the community to come forward for testing.
There are no known cases in Leeton and Boorowa.
The new detections come the day after the region's worst tally of the pandemic, when 51 cases were found across the MLHD.
The virus has taken a strong hold in Albury and the Border, with 150 cases in the Albury LGA alone. Fifteen schools have been impacted by closures and exposures.
However, a lockdown is not on the immediate horizon, the member for Albury Justin Clancy said on Thursday.
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"I'm not aware of a NSW lockdown for our community at this stage," he said.
"Given the number of lockdowns we've witnessed I know it's not without trepidation that we experience a breakout of COVID and we rely chiefly on vaccinations as a means of getting through this breakout."
A lockdown decision, if one is made, will come via NSW's chief health officer Kerry Chant.
Travel in and out of the Albury area for recreational purposes while COVID is spreading in the community is highly discouraged, the MLHD's director of medical services has declared.
"It would be prudent to [restrict] travel to that area to essential travel, especially if you're not vaccinated," Dr Len Bruce warned.
"We would advise people to reconsider if they have to go there."
More on the pandemic:
Anyone who has been at the following venues at the specified times must seek a coronavirus test and isolate until a negative result is returned
- Albury Entertainment Centre, 525 Swift Street - 11.45am to 2.15pm on October 17
- Cafe Dalchini, 451 Dean Street, Albury - 5.25pm to 6.25pm on October 17
- Carv'n It Up, 2/617 Young Street, Albury - 6.30pm to 7.45pm on October 13
- Regent Cinemas Albury, 456 Dean Street - 6.30pm to 7.45pm on October 17
- Whitehouse Motorcycles, 523 Young Street Albury - 4.15pm to 5.15pm on October 13, 2.35pm to 3.45pm on October 14, 3.15pm to 4.15pm on October 14
- Springdale Heights Tavern, 330 Kaitlers Road, Lavington - 5.15pm to 6.15pm on October 9
- Woolworths Lavington, 337-363 Griffith Road - 10.55am to 12pm on October 13 October, 11am to 12.15pm on October 12, 9.10pm to 9.55pm on October 12, 9am to 9.30am on October 12, 4.45pm to 5.45pm on October 11
- Muffin Break Lavington, 351 Griffith Road - 4.35pm to 5.10pm on October 15
Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose and loss of taste or smell.
Other symptoms include fatigue, acute blocked nose (congestion), muscle pain, joint pain, headache, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, unexplained chest pain and conjunctivitis.
Testing locations can be found at mlhd.health.nsw.gov.au or by calling the Murrumbidgee COVID-19 hotline on 1800 831 099.
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