Residents across the Central West are turning out in their droves for free coronavirus testing at both the Dubbo Showground and the Forbes Showground following Wednesday's COVID-19 alert for parts of NSW.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Forbes has been particularly busy, with a drive-through testing clinic established in Forbes' CBD on Thursday morning relocated to the showground by lunchtime due to the demand.
The pop-up clinics are again open on Friday from 8am to 4pm.
Both pop-up clinics were running within 24 hours of NSW Health alerting the community to the visit to Dubbo, via Forbes, last week of a woman infected with COVID-19.
The 44-year-old woman is reported to have travelled with her husband from Melbourne when in lockdown to the Sunshine Coast, stopping in multiple regional NSW communities including Forbes and Dubbo.
On Thursday morning Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young advised that the woman's husband also had COVID-19 despite an initial test returning a negative result.
On Wednesday NSW Health reported of the woman visiting four venues at Dubbo.
It asked people who had visited Reading Cinemas on Wednesday, June 2, between 6pm and 10pm, or the CSC between 11.30am and 2.30pm, to immediately get tested and self-isolate.
The same advice was issued for people at Dubbo's Homestead Motel between 12pm on Wednesday, June 2, and 10am on Thursday, June 3.
NSW Health added the Shell petrol station, on the corner of Victoria and Whylandra streets, to the list of venues on Wednesday evening.
The woman attended the petrol station on Wednesday, June 2, between 10.30am and 11.30am.
There are three venues at Forbes attached to the warning.
Officers attached to Orana Mid-Western Police District will be conducting regular patrols of the area to ensure traffic continues to flow.
- Orana Police
The Vandenberg Hotel in Court Street, Tuesday June 1, 6pm to 10pm, the Brew coffee bar Wednesday June 2, between 7am to 10am, and the Lake Forbes Motel from 1.30pm Tuesday June 1 to 10am Wednesday June 2.
The Western NSW Local Health District is telling motorists entering the clinic to stay in their vehicles.
Motorists who are tested must self-isolate until they receive a result which normally takes between 24 and 72 hours.
Meanwhile, Dubbo police are asking queueing motorists to "exercise patience".
"The clinic is currently experiencing high volumes of traffic attempting to enter the Dubbo Showground from the main entry on Wingewarra Street," a police spokeswoman said.
"Motorists attending are being urged to exercise patience and to abide by road rules in order to not block the Fitzroy/ Wingewarra Street roundabout.
"Motorists can queue along the edge of Wingewarra and Fitzroy streets, however are not to queue within the normal lane of traffic.
"Officers attached to Orana Mid-Western Police District will be conducting regular patrols of the area to ensure traffic continues to flow."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.centralwesterndaily.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Catch up on our news headlines at Google News