COVID-19 pandemic Tamworth: Four months since last local case confirmed; Hunter New England Health warn residents against complacency

The milestone has given the region's leading health authority confidence there is no virus lurking in the community undetected.

Hunter New England Health (HNEH) public health physician Dr David Durrheim said the virus couldn't hide out for four months.

But, that doesn't mean Tamworth is free of danger.

"The biggest risk is importation," he said.

"It's an incredibly agile virus and it grabs every opportunity to spread.

"Anyone that has visited the Sydney or greater Sydney region - or anybody who's visiting from that region - may bring the virus with them."

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Dr Durrheim said he strongly supported the state premier's advice to limit non-essential travel, to reduce the risk of transporting coronavirus.

"I think Tamworth and other parts of the regional Hunter New England district would probably like a big moat around them ... but even then, people have to travel for compassionate and other reasons, so we can't afford to be complacent," he said.

According to the doctor, Tamworth has maintained an impressively high testing rate - one of the highest regional rates in the district - despite four months with no new COVID cases.

More than 10,500 Tamworth locals had fronted up to be swabbed for the virus since the pandemic struck.

Dr Durrheim said Tamworth had done a "wonderful job" maintaining testing rates while keeping the virus out of town.

Although the premier and HNEH are encouraging locals to stay put and discouraging non-urgent travel, Dr Durrheim said it's not mandated in the public health orders.

"That means there is always the possibility of reintroduction," he told the Leader.

He said all the health and hygiene precautions which helped Tamworth get through the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic should still be followed by local residents.

"You just don't know whether a person you came into contact with came from a hotspot," he said.

"We've had a few near misses with Sydney-siders visiting pubs and clubs in Newcastle, we've seen a family cluster where the source is unknown in Newcastle."

That means keeping physical distances up; wearing a mask when distance can't be maintained; and washing hands regularly.

Dr Durrheim said if any symptoms - like a fever, sore throat or cough - arise then locals must self-isolate immediately, and contact their doctor to arrange a coronavirus test as soon as they can.

The Tamworth local government area has recorded 13 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic hit the region in March.

The last Tamworth resident to test positive to the infection was a 58-year-old woman on April 17.

The woman had died in Tamworth hospital the day before, due to complications related to the novel coronavirus.

The other 12 confirmed cases in the city recovered, and HNEH declared the New England North West to be free of any known cases of active COVID-19 in early June.

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