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- New South Wales has recorded nine new COVID-19 cases today after a whopping 60,000 people were tested for the virus yesterday
- Seven of these cases are linked to the Avalon cluster, with two under investigation
- This brings the total cases linked to the cluster to 104 — though six of those cases came from an unknown source
- An alert has been issued for Sydney CBD workers after a man who works in the area and who is linked to the Avalon cluster tested positive
- NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said while all cases can so far be linked back to Avalon, there’s a chance the virus gets transmitted far beyond the cluster
- Under the latest COVID-19 restrictions, Greater Sydney area residents will need to limit Christmas gatherings to 10 people, while those living in the Northern Beaches can only gather in groups of five
New South Wales has recorded nine new COVID-19 cases today after a whopping 60,000 people were tested for the virus yesterday.
Of the new cases, seven are linked to the Avalon cluster and two are under investigation with their origin unknown.
This brings the total number of cases linked to the Avalon cluster to 104, though six of those cases came from an unknown source.
Of particular concern is a person who worked with sick returned travellers in hotel quarantine who then transported a retirement village resident shortly before testing positive to the virus — a major breach in protocol.
An alert has also been issued for Sydney’s CBD after a man who works in the area tested positive.
New South Wales Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said in a statement that people who have been near the area recently should keep a close eye out for symptoms of the virus.
“Anyone who has been in the northeastern part of the city, including the Australia Square, MLC Centre and Chifley Square, should be alert for symptoms and isolate immediately and get tested should even the mildest symptoms develop,” Dr Chant said.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said while all cases so far can be linked back to the Avalon cluster, there is potential for someone linked to the cluster to transmit the virus to anyone else in their community.
“We are concerned about people who may have been infectious who went to work in the CBD and then have passed that onto other people in the CBD and those people have then passed it on in their communities,” she said.
“They are all eventually linked to the Avalon cluster but it does mean that there is potential transmission that we are not on top of and that is a concern.”
Today’s update comes after New South Wales authorities confirmed restrictions would remain in place over the Christmas period as the state fights to contain the recent outbreak.
Anyone in the Greater Sydney area will need to limit Christmas gatherings to 10 people while those living in the northern part of the Northern Beaches can only gather in groups of five. These restrictions do not apply to children under 12.
