Daily COVID-19 Update 18 October 2021: NSW and Victoria

New South Wales recorded 265 new cases of community transmission, meanwhile Victoria recorded 1903 new locally acquired cases. Source: Getty Images

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The latest news on the current Delta strain outbreak affecting regional NSW and Victoria's Indigenous communities.

Victoria set to exit lockdown statewide at 11.59pm this Thursday

NSW

New South Wales recorded 265 new cases of community transmission to 8pm last night, and five deaths. This includes a woman in her 30s from Cessnock. She was unvaccinated.

The Hunter New England Local Health District recorded 63 new cases — 15 in Lake Macquarie, 13 in Mid Coast, 12 in Newcastle, 11 in Maitland, 6 in Cessnock, 2 in Port Stephens, 2 in Tamworth, 1 in Muswellbrook and 1 in Singleton.

The Western NSW Local Health District recorded 2 new cases — 1 in Dubbo and 1 in Walgett.

The Far West Local Health District recorded no new cases.

For those in the Kempsey area, the Durri Aboriginal Corporation Medical Service will be running a Super Saturday pop-up vaccination clinic this Saturday October 23rd at Dunghutti Elders on South Street in South Kempsey.

It’s walk-in appointments to get your Pfizer vaccine, just have to bring a Medicare card and photo ID, and wear a mask. That’s this upcoming Saturday October 23rd at Dunghutti Elders in South Kempsey, 9.30 am to 4 pm.

Victoria

In Victoria there were 1903 locally acquired cases to midnight last night, and 7 deaths.

Regional Victoria had 166 new cases, including 38 in Geelong, 29 in Latrobe, 19 in Baw Baw, 12 in Shepparton, and 9 in Mildura.

COVID-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar announced new isolation protocols for primary close contacts that will come into effect starting this Thursday. If you’re fully-vaccinated and are notified that you’re a primary close contact of a known case, you’ll only have to isolate for 7 days rather than 14 while you wait to return a negative COVID test.

Anyone unvaccinated or with a single-dose will still be required to isolate for 14 days, as will fully-vaccinated people who live in the same household as a positive case.

This change follows the Victorian government’s announcement yesterday that both lockdown and curfew will be lifted statewide at 11.59pm this Thursday October 21st. That’s the date Victoria is predicted to reach 70% full-vaccination among its population aged 16 and over.

Quarantine, travel, testing clinics and pandemic disaster payment

Quarantine and testing requirements are managed and enforced by state and territory governments:

NSW

and

VIC

and

ACT

and

and

QLD

and

and

TAS

and

and

If you want to travel overseas, you may be able to apply online for an exemption.

Click here

for more information about the conditions to leave Australia. There are temporary measures for international flights that are regularly reviewed by the government and updated on the

Smart Traveller

website.