This morning at 9:02 am the local member for Bega made a Facebook video posting saying:
"Unfortunately we now have a number of confirmed cases in the Southern NSW Local Health District, including a case in Batemans Bay."
At 9:17am ABC South East reported on Facebook that the "Member for Bega Andrew Constance MP says there are confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Batemans Bay and Cooma."
"Mr Constance says health authorities advised him this morning that there is one positive case in Batemans Bay and one positive case in Cooma."
At 10:45 am the Bay Post reported on their website and in social media:
"A spokesperson for SNSWLHD said the cases were brand new and contact tracing had just started when Mr Constance made the announcement.
"NSW Health will announce them at 11am and hopefully we will have some details to share later today," the spokesperson said.
The Eurobodalla councillors were advised first thing this morning via communications from SNSWLHD that there was a confirmed case in Batemans Bay.
It is understood from other sources that the case was confirmed as testing positive on Sunday night.
The community, now informed via Facebook posts by Andrew Constance and ABC South East, looked for more information.
Where ever they looked they found only rumours and speculations.
The Bay Post / Moruya Examiner reported at 2:56pm
"No exposure sites have been listed in Batemans Bay yet, but the community is urged to get tested if they have any symptoms. The drive-through clinic at Hanging Rock will be open on Tuesday, September 7 from 8am to 5pm."
The community then looked to the Southern NSW Local Health District Facebook page for updates and news of exposure sites but nothing was posted until 2:02pm when they posted:
"A pop up COVID -19 testing clinic will be running in Batemans Bay Tuesday 7th September 2021."
Finally at 5:37pm September 6th 2021, nine hours after the announcement by Andrew Constance, the following media release was issued from Southern NSW Local Health District: Southern NSW Local Health District (SNSWLHD) has been notified of seven new COVID-19
cases: two in Goulburn, one in Queanbeyan, one in Karabar (Queanbeyan), one in Googong (near Queanbeyan), one in Batemans Bay and one in Cooma.
The Batemans Bay and Cooma cases will be reported in tomorrow’s numbers, as the
notifications came in after 8.00pm last night.
These are the first COVID-19 cases at Batemans Bay and Cooma since the start of the Sydney outbreak.
SNSWLHD’s Public Health Unit are working with a number of venues to inform close
contacts of infectious cases.
Anyone who was present at one of the venues of concern, during the times listed below, is
considered to be a casual contact and should get tested and isolate immediately. Anyone who checked in to a venue of concern during the times listed, using the Service
NSW QR app, will be notified by SMS from NSW Health. Contact the Public Health Unit on
02 4825 4944 if you were at one of the venues during the times listed above, but have not
already been contacted by SMS or phone call. BUT WHERE are the Batemans Bay venues? To ensure you have accurate information on locations in regional NSW or Greater Sydney with a confirmed COVID-19 case you are directed by NSW Health to this site: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/nsw-covid-19-case-locations/case-locations Anyone visiting that official website will discover (7pm 6th September 2021) that there is no information on Batemans Bay (nor Cooma and Goulburn). The above is posted for the purpose of advising the community what is known in a hope it might dampen the panic, speculation and rumours running wild across the community. POST SCRIPT: At 7:06 pm Southern NSW Local Health District updated their Facebook post saying: Please note: Venues of concern related to the Batemans Bay case will be shared tomorrow. Investigations are still underway.
