Health authorities are racing to stem the damage from a new, mystery coronavirus cluster in Sydney’s northern beaches that has grown to 17 new cases in two days.
Residents of the peninsula have entered a quasi-lockdown, with NSW Health asking them to stay home as much as possible and not leave the area for the next three days.
Locals should avoid non-essential visits to aged care facilities and hospitals, and steer clear of high-risk venues like gyms and restaurants.
With just one week to go till Christmas, NSW residents will be anxiously waiting to see if the cluster spreads further.
Two northern beaches cases were announced on Wednesday evening, with three more described by health authorities at a press conference on Thursday morning.
News of 12 further infections came on Thursday afternoon.
Authorities believe an Avalon RSL band night might have acted as a super-spreader event.
One of the new cases is an aged care worker at the Pittwater Palms facility.
The source of the outbreak remains a mystery. Sewage testing last week uncovered no virus fragments in the area, indicating the virus was newly introduced to the northern beaches.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Thursday said northern beaches nursing homes will be locked down until the outbreak is contained, just a week after restrictions eased allowing unlimited visitors.
“We want to get on top of this and don’t want this concerning us in the last few days before Christmas,” Ms Berejiklian told reporters.
“There are a number of aged care facilities which are very vulnerable in the northern beaches … we’re recommending no visitors until we identify the source of the infection and feel more confident we have it under control.”
The Pittwater Palms facility is closed to visitors, while those in contact with the infected worker are being tested and are self-isolating.
NSW’s 12 consecutive days without a locally transmitted virus case ended on Wednesday after a Sydney airport driver tested positive and two cases popped up on the northern beaches – a woman in her 60s and a man in his 70s.
Health alerts have now been issued for a number of venues across Sydney’s northern beaches.
Sydney cluster prompts tougher restrictions
Queensland and Western Australia have toughened interstate travel restrictions in response to the NSW coronavirus cluster, and other states may follow.
The Queensland government has announced anyone arriving in the state from Sydney on Friday, and who has been to the northern beaches since December 11, must get tested and self quarantine for 14 days.
Those measures will toughen further from 1am Saturday, when travellers from Sydney who have been to the region will be forced into hotel quarantine.
Queensland has also banned anyone who has been in the NSW northern beaches region since December 11 from visiting aged care homes, hospitals or prisons in Queensland.
The West Australian government says anyone arriving from NSW is required to self-quarantine for 14 days and get tested on day 11.
WA leader Mark McGowan announced the changes on Thursday evening after receiving the latest advice from NSW.
“I understand these changes will cause some frustration and uncertainty for some people,” he said.
Tasmania has already moved to prevent people who visited high-risk locations in NSW from travelling there.
Northern Territory authorities said anyone from the northern beaches area travelling to the NT will need to undertake 14 days of mandatory, supervised quarantine in either Alice Springs or Darwin.
Victoria similarly told entrants to the state from the northern beaches that they must get tested and quarantine in their home or accommodation for 14 days from the date they left the northern beaches.
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/coronavirus. Please check the relevant guidelines for your state or territory: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, ACT, Tasmania
