Tamworth COVID-19: Hunter New England Health physician urges residents to stay home, avoid travel to Sydney

Hunter New England Health (HNEH) physician Dr David Durrheim said the clusters emerging in the city are worrying.

"The Sydney outbreak, particularly the one that started out at Crossroads but has subsequently spread, is a real concern," Dr Durrheim said on Monday.

"We would strongly urge anyone from the Hunter New England region to rather stay at home than visiting Sydney at this stage, unless absolutely necessary."

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The warning was made the same day HNEH announced a new case had been confirmed for the district in the past 24-hour testing period.

The new confirmed case of coronavirus is a 34-year-old returned traveller, who had recently come home from the Middle East.

HNEH confirmed the man is in hotel quarantine in Sydney.

Dr Durrheim said the Sydney outbreaks show how quickly and quietly the virus can spread.

"Lots of lessons at this stage can come out of the Sydney experience, particularly the fact that this virus - if you give it half a chance - can spread very rapidly and even from asymptomatic people in the pre-symptomatic stage," he said.

The public health physician warned people one negative test does not give them a free pass from contracting the virus.

"The important thing is - if you've been tested in the past, a single negative test doesn't mean that if you develop new symptoms, you're COVID-free ... it's really important to again, go and get yourself tested," Dr Durrheim said.

He said the good news is the new testing regime is a much more "comfortable" experience than the swabbing method that had been used previously.

To get a test in Tamworth, contact your local GP or call the COVID-19 hotline any time on 1800 020 080.

It has been more than three months since the Tamworth local government area recorded a new case of COVID-19.

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