Coffs Harbour pub visited by a patron who has COVID-19

Coffs Harbour is on alert after a person tested positive for COVID-19 visited several venues in the city.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant today said Coffs Harbour was one of several areas of concern for increased testing.

Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh said the person who tested positive was from Sydney and had returned there.

He has posted a list of exposure sites on Facebook, which included a Woolworths supermarket, Big W, and the Hoey Moey pub.

The Hoey Moey has closed and is undergoing deep cleaning after being notified that a person who tested positive for COVID-19 visited the venue. 

Patrons who visited the Hoey Moey in Coffs Harbour after 4:00pm last Thursday received a text message to get tested and isolate until further notice. 

Publican Harry Barry said he was working with NSW Health. 

“Somebody came through the Hoey after 4:00pm on Thursday, and in the interest of public health, we’ve been asked to keep the venue closed until further notice,” he said.

Mr Barry said he found out the venue had become an exposure site from a patron who was there at the time.

He said his initial reaction was disbelief, but the next steps were quickly organised.

“We’ve organised a deep clean for the Hoey Moey, so that’s happening today,” he said.

“Now I’m talking to the media to make sure that anybody and everybody from Coffs Harbour knows that if they were the Hoey on Thursday evening, they should go and get tested.

“That’s what we’ve been told, that’s what we’re doing ourselves, so let’s keep the community safe, do the right thing and go and get tested.”

The Hoey Moey employs about 60 staff, and it is unknown how many will need to be tested or when the venue will reopen, but Mr Barry said testing was vital.

“Go and get tested, do the right thing and let’s see if we can stop the spread of this thing before it goes too far,” he said.

More information has been sought from NSW Health.