New South Wales has recorded seven new locally acquired coronavirus cases as she introduced mandatory masks for shopping, indoor entertainment venues and on public transport.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the seven infections came from almost 32,000 tests.
Ms Berejiklian announced stay-at-home restrictions for the southern zone of the Northern Beaches would conclude and the area would be treated the same as Greater Sydney.
A woman wears a face mask as she walks along Market Street in Sydney’s CBD amid the latest coronavirus outbreak
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is pictured at her daily coronavirus update on New Year’s Day
On Friday, NSW Health reported three fresh locally acquired cases – all in western Sydney.
Two cases – a man in his 40s and a man in his 20s – are under investigation after 32,000 people came forward for testing in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday.
The third case, a man in his 20s, is a close household contact of one of the other two men.
Sydney’s mysterious coronavirus outbreak first appeared on the Northern Beaches in Avalon more than two weeks ago.
A health worker conducts a Covid-19 test in Five Dock, Sydney’s inner west, after coronavirus cases emerged in nearby Croydon
Since then, clusters have popped up in Wollongong and Sydney’s inner west at Croydon, but both have now been linked to the original Avalon cluster.
The western Sydney infections prompted health authorities to urge residents in the Greystanes, Auburn, Berala and Lidcombe areas to watch out for symptoms following the latest infections.
Also on Friday, NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant announced two infected Victorians visited several venues in Eden and Bermagui on the NSW far south coast on Wednesday and Thursday.
New Year’s Eve celebrations in Sydney were subdued with vantage points closed off to keep the public away. Pictured are diners in East Circular Quay on Thursday night
An urgent alert has been issued for anyone who was at The Swallowed Anchor in Wollongong on December 19 after infected cases from both the Croydon and Wollongong clusters attended the tapas and wine bar.
Anyone who attended the venue anytime that day is ordered to get tested and self-isolate until further notice.
Other new venues added to the list include a BWS and a Thai restaurant in Berala, along with a Bunnings and tile shop in Smithfield in Sydney’s south-west.
Anyone who visited the Culture Kings store on George St in the Sydney CBD between 1-2pm on Monday December 28 is also advised to watch for symptoms and get tested if they appear.
The venue was visited by a confirmed coronavirus case.
While many Sydneysiders spent a quiet New Year’s Eve at home, some revellers (pictured) hit the town to celebrate a 2020 most of us would rather forget
Eden and Bermagui are also on high alert after the two infected Melburnians visited the region.
The pair ate at the Great Southern Hotel in Eden on Wednesday from 5pm to 6.30pm and also at Bermi’s Beachside Cafe in Bermagui on Thursday 9am-10am.
‘It is important if you are hearing this and you know anybody within the Bermagui area that you reach out to them and make sure that they are aware of the situation,’ Dr Chant said.
‘We understand that there may be a lot of visitors who have travelled to that part over the festive season.’
The visiting Melburnians are close contacts of a case linked to a Thai restaurant in Black Rock in the city’s bayside region.
The Swallowed Anchor (pictured) in Wollongong was visited by an infected patron on December 19
Victoria reported ten new cases of Covid-19 community transmission on Saturday.
The ten new cases recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday are all linked to the Black Rock restaurant cluster, with an additional two cases being the pair that travelled to NSW and returned to quarantine in Victoria.
The Victorian outbreak has been directly linked to the NSW cluster revealed in genetic testing results on Saturday.
Victoria shut out travellers from NSW at 11.59pm on January 1.
The state announced its decision on Thursday, prompting two days of disruption and upset plans as Victorians holidaying in NSW rushed to get home.
The hard border brings to an end a confusing progression of lesser border restrictions Victoria had been making since the lead-up to Christmas.
Health Minister Martin Foley made no apologies for closing the border to its neighbouring state and said it was based on public health advice.
He says it has caused widespread disruption for returning travellers and will continue to do so for the border communities.
‘I acknowledge the significant disruption and the significant implications that that has made,’ Mr Foley said on Saturday.
He said it had become a significant issue for Victoria with 29 active cases now in isolation across the state.
The two Victorians visited the Great Southern Hotel in Eden, in the southern region of NSW, on Wednesday from 5pm to 6.30pm
The pair then ate at Bermi’s Beachside Cafe in Bermagui from about 9am to 10am on Thursday
The ACT has also moved to tighten its border with NSW.
Anyone travelling to the ACT from a Covid-19 hotspot in NSW will now require an exemption.
People from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Greater Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong will not be legally permitted to enter the ACT without a valid pass.
The updated health direction will come into effect from midday on Saturday and any non-compliance will result in penalties, the ACT government says.
Any travellers from these regions into the ACT for ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are required to apply for an exemption at least three days prior to the planned entry but no more than 14 days ahead of time.
These changes do not affect current restrictions for ACT residents returning from Covid-19-declared areas, whereby until at least January 6 authorities must be notified followed by a mandatory quarantine for 14 days.
More than 32,000 NSW residents came forward for testing on Thursday. Pictured is the long queue at a testing clinic in Five Dock in Sydney’s inner-west on Wednesday
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