NSW recorded 0 cases of locally acquired cases of COVID-19 marking twelve days since the last community transmission.

This number is under threat following the latest outbreak in Brisbane which has led to Queensland Health advising NSW Health that two new cases of COVID-19 attended a number of venues in the Byron Bay area from Friday March 26 to Sunday March 28 before returning to Queensland.

Urgent investigations and contact tracing are underway, and NSW Health will provide further updates throughout the day.

NSW Health is advising people against non-essential travel to the Greater Brisbane area at this time.

NSW Health is urging anyone in the Byron Bay area with even the mildest of symptoms to come forward for testing and self-isolate immediately. To find your nearest clinic, visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-to-protect-yourself-and-others/clinics, or contact your GP.

Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed below should get tested immediately and self-isolate until further advice is provided by NSW Health after we assess the transmission risk at these venues:

Byron Bay

Byron Beach Hotel

1 Bay St, Byron Bay NSW 2481

Friday 26 March 2021

From 7:15pm – 8:30pm

Byron Bay

The Farm Byron Bay

11 Ewingsdale Rd, Ewingsdale NSW 2481

Sunday 28 March 2021

From 8:00am – 9:30am

A complete list of venues of concern, and the related health advice, will be available on the NSW Government website and people from the Byron Bay area or those who visited at the weekend are advised to check it regularly for updates: https://nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates

NSW Health is providing new COVID-19 testing clinics and increasing the hours of existing clinics across Northern NSW today. Two new clinics will be in operation in Byron Bay, including a drive-through, and Byron Central Hospital will increase its operating hours:

• Byron Bay QML Pathology Drive-Through, Cavanbah Sports Ground, 249 Ewingsdale Rd, Byron Bay. Open from 8am to 8pm 7 days from midday today.

• Byron Bay Walk-in Pop-Up Clinic; Byron Bay surf club car park, Bay St, Byron Bay. Open from 8am to 6pm from Monday to Sunday from this afternoon.

• Byron Central Hospital walk-in, 54 Ewingsdale Road, Ewingsdale. Open from 9am to 630pm, 7 days a week.

NSW Health will also extend the hours of operation of other nearby testing clinics, including those in Tweed and Ballina.

Updated clinic opening hours will be available on the NSW Government website. It is recommended you check the website to ensure you have the most up-to-date clinic information.

• Lismore Base Hospital: 9am to 6pm 7 days a week
• Lismore Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology (Wyrallah Road Shopping Centre): 7am to 5pm Monday - Friday, Saturday 8:30am to 11:30am.
• Alstonville Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology (106 Main Street): 7am to 3:30pm Monday - Friday.

NSW Health urges everyone to continue to take practical measures to stay COVID-safe. This includes always using QR codes to check in to venues, staying home and getting tested for COVID-19 if unwell, and practising good hand hygiene.