As Clarence Valley residents continue to come forward for Covid-19 testing following the confirmation of a positive case involving a man in his 50s in the Northern Rivers region on August 9, Health Minister Brad Hazzard revealed police are looking “extremely closely at what he was doing in the area.”

A seven-day stay-at-home order was issued on August 9 for the Byron Shire, Richmond Valley, Lismore, and Ballina Shire Local Government Areas, effective from 6pm August 9 until 12.01am August 17, to protect regional communities from the evolving Covid-19 outbreak after initial investigations indicated the positive case had been infectious in the community for several days.

In a statement released by the Northern NSW Local Health District on the afternoon of August 10, it was revealed two new cases of Covid-19, both close contacts of the previously reported case, have been confirmed in Northern NSW.

All three cases are currently being cared for at Lismore Base Hospital where they remain in a stable condition.

Currently, there have been no additional confirmed cases of Covid-19 among residents of Northern NSW Local Health District.

Lynne Weir, Acting Chief Executive Northern NSW Local Health District, is continuing to urge people to come forward for testing, even if you have the mildest of symptoms.

“Already in the first 24 hours since this case was identified, we have seen increasing numbers of people presenting to our testing clinics,” she said.

“There are more than 25 testing clinics across Northern NSW, and you do not need a referral to get a test.

“Covid-19 testing is free.”

All the local testing clinics and their opening hours are listed on the NSW government website at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-to-protect-yourself-andothers/clinics or, you can also contact your GP.

A spokesperson for NNSWLHD also said while they were not aware of any additional testing locations planned for the Clarence Valley, they will continue to provide updates to the Clarence Valley Independent.