New South Wales has reported nine new Covid-19 cases – including a child – after almost 40,000 people were tested for the virus on Christmas Day.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said eight of the nine new infections were linked to the Avalon cluster on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. The ninth infection could be a false positive, she said.
Six of the eight cases on the Northern Beaches were in the same household and the other two are close contacts to where the virus was previously transmitted in Paddington and at the Avalon Bowling Club.
‘There are still concerns about the CBD and still concerns about people in the Northern Beaches who may unintentionally have spread the virus without knowing they have it,’ she said.
The premier said the Northern Beaches would revert back to the pre-Christmas restrictions from December 27, with some slight changes.
Outdoor gatherings of five people on the northern end of the northern beaches will be permissible from Sunday.
On the southern end of the northern beaches, in suburbs such as Manly, outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people will be permitted.
The health orders will be revised on December 30.
‘Again, our strategy is to make sure we nip this in the bud as soon as we can,’ the premier said.
Ms Berejiklian said she will be able to announce what New Year’s Eve will look like across Sydney in the coming days.
She also thanked Sydneysiders who listened to Friday’s advice and avoided visiting Sydney’s CBD for the Boxing Day sales.
Health workers are seen at a Covid-19 drive-through testing clinic in Bondi, Sydney’s eastern suburbs, on Christmas Day
A group of friends in santa hats sit on the edge of an empty Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 25
On Friday, NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant revealed a child was infected at the Paddington Alimentari café in Sydney’s inner-eastern suburbs.
‘Since 8pm last night, and this case will be included in tomorrow’s (Saturday’s) numbers, we have another confirmed case linked to the Paddington Alimentari and the case is a child,’ Dr Chant said on Friday.
‘There are now four cases associated with the venue and all diners from December 17 to 19 need to remain in isolation and get tested if symptoms arise.
‘Takeaway customers need to get tested should there even be the slightest symptoms. We have had transmission at that venue, so it is important that everyone maintains a focus.’
The child became infected at the Paddington Alimentari café (pictured) in Sydney’s inner-eastern suburbs
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant (right) on Friday urged people to isolate if they also visited Paddington Alimentari from December 17 to December 19 and get tested if they develop symptoms
NSW reported seven new locally-acquired cases of coronavirus on Christmas Day – four are linked to the Avalon cluster, two cases are household contacts of a previous case, whose source of infection is still under investigation, and one further case is under investigation.
A new venue, transport routes and a flight were put on alert on Friday night.
NSW Health is urging any passenger who travelled on flight REX ZL 6469 from Sydney to Griffith at 2.10pm on Monday December 21 to get tested.
Passengers from the flight are considered close contacts and must self-isolate for 14 days regardless of a negative result.
An alert has also been issued for customers who attended Chicago Jones Coffee & Chocolate Maison in Auburn, in Sydney’s west, on Sunday 20 December between 2.50pm – 4.00pm.
Those customers are considered close contacts and must isolate for 14 days regardless of a negative result.
Commuters who rode Bus route 200 from TAFE St Leonards, Pacific Highway to The Royal Botanic Gardens, Macquarie St on Tuesday 15 December between 7.20am and 7.41am are considered close contacts of a positive Covid-19 case.
Passengers who travelled on that route are urged to get tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of their rest result.
Those who were on the bus for less than 30 minutes are however considered casual contacts and should still get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.
The rules apply to the same route but in the evening from 5.36pm – 6.10pm from The Royal Botanic Gardens to TAFE.
On Friday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged Sydneysiders to cancel their Boxing Day shopping plans in the city on Saturday
‘We are still concerned about potential spread through the CBD,’ she said.
‘We ask everybody to limit any activity in the CBD and having said that, we know tomorrow is traditionally Boxing Day sales.
NSW Health is urging any passenger who travelled on flight REX ZL 6469 from Sydney to Griffith at 2.10pm on Monday December 21 to get tested (stock)
NSW Health have also issued out an alert for customers who attended Chicago Jones Coffee & Chocolate Maison (pictured) in Auburn, in Sydney’s west, on Sunday 20 December between 2.50pm – 4.00pm
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) urged Sydneysiders to avoid the CBD and cancel their Boxing Day shopping plans on Saturday as the state recorded seven new cases of COVID-19 on Christmas Day
‘We’d prefer it if people did not go to the CBD tomorrow because then you have people from all over Sydney coming to the one location and it only takes one or two cases for it to then spread everywhere else – and we don’t want to see that happen.
‘I cannot stress enough how urgent the people to reduce their mobility, not to undertake any activity unless they absolutely have to and please avoid the CBD where you can.
‘If you must go to the CBD and you must go shopping, make sure you’re wearing a mask and a socially distancing.’
Dr Chant said she is ‘particularly concerned’ about the sports bar at the Paragon Hotel in Loftus Street in Circular Quay, which has three associated cases.
Anyone who visited the hotel between 12.45pm and 3.30pm on Wednesday, December 16 for more than an hour are considered close contacts and are advised to be tested immediately and self isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.
Those who were there for less than an hour needs to get tested immediately and self isolate pending a result.
‘Anyone who particularly has been in the north-eastern part of the city, including Australia square, MLC Centre and Chifley Square should be alert to symptoms and get tested immediately,’ Dr Chant said.
Sydney’s famous Bondi Icebergs was closed for deep cleaning on Christmas Day. Diners there were exposed to a coronavirus-positive case on December 20 between 8am and 9.30am and December 21 between 7am and 8am
Punters who attended the Paragon Hotel near Circular Quay in the Sydney CBD on December 16 have been told to self-isolate if they visited between 12.45pm to 3.30pm
Residents are seen exercising on Manly beachfront on Wednesday, their final day of lockdown before Christmas
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