Two new cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, on the same day a south-west Sydney man who drives international air crew to and from Sydney Airport was confirmed as a case.
The three locally-acquired cases end NSW’s 12-day streak with no local coronavirus transmission.
Health authorities do not yet know the source of the two Northern Beaches cases, a woman in her 60s and a man in his 70s who are close contacts of each other.
The cases were confirmed on Wednesday afternoon.
NSW Health is undertaking contact tracing and urgent genome sequencing, with results expected in the next 24 to 48 hours, it said on Wednesday evening.
It said no links have been identified to other known cases at this stage.
Authorities are warning anyone in the Northern Beaches area should monitor for even the mildest of symptoms and come forward for testing immediately if they appear.
The man and woman visited several venues while infectious.
People who attended the following venues at specific times are considered close contacts and must be tested and isolate for two weeks, even if they receive a negative result: Palm Beach female change rooms, Coast Palm Beach Cafe, and Avalon Bowlo on 13 December, and Sneaky Grind Cafe at Avalon Beach on 14 December.
Alerts have also been issued for Avalon Beach Woolworths and Oliver’s Pie at Avalon.
The other new case is a 45-year-old southwest Sydney man, who drives vans ferrying international air crew. The man was first symptomatic on Saturday but did not get tested until Tuesday afternoon.
He was confirmed virus-positive on Wednesday morning.
“(This) highlights what I was talking about last week when I said that the NSW government’s focus, as the virus seemed to be contained in terms of community transmission, our most exposed areas (were) principally around our borders,” Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters.
“We may be an island, but we are not totally isolated from the pandemic that is raging across the world.”
NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said the man worked only with air crew members and was not involved in regular taxi services for the public. He wore a mask while working.
The other three members of his household have tested negative to COVID-19 but will self-isolate for 14 days.
A health alert has also been issued for a children’s football training session conducted by Forest Rangers FC in Peakhurst on the afternoon of 11 December.
All adults in attendance at that time are casual COVID-19 contacts and should monitor for respiratory symptoms, seek testing and isolate until they get a negative result. Children should also get tested if they develop symptoms.
Mr Hazzard said at least 2000 international air crew members were touching down in Sydney each week, with turnarounds of up to 72 hours before flying out again.
While they did not have total liberty, air crew had more freedom of movement than returned travellers in hotel quarantine, who cannot leave their rooms.
Mr Hazzard said that if national cabinet did not establish a nationwide regime for arriving air crew, NSW may implement its own changes.
NSW has not recorded a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the community since 3 December, when a hotel quarantine worker at a Sydney Novotel tested positive to the virus.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your jurisdiction’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirusPlease check the relevant guidelines for your state or territory: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, ACT, Tasmania
