Coronavirus NSW LIVE updates: Sydney records 17 COVID-19 cases; northern beaches on high alert - The Sydney Morning Herald

Summary

• Northern beaches clusters grows to 17 cases
• All residents from The Spit Bridge to Palm Beach urged to stay home for three days
• Western Australia announces new rules for NSW travellers

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NSW Health Minister implores northern beaches residents to stay at home

By Kate Aubusson

The source of the infections is not known but NSW Health authorities are highly suspicious that it is someone who has flown in from overseas.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard implored people on the northern beaches to stay at home.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant.Credit:Janie Barrett

“We need as many people on the beaches to stay put and give us time to sort this out and stay put,” Mr Hazzard said.

“The number of cases in one day is a sobering reminder of what this virus can do.

“Our particular concern is to make sure residents of the northern beaches don’t run the risk of seeding other areas across Sydney in their normal daily travels.

“We also need them to as far as possible stay at home, try and restrict to normal family groups and get tested if you have any symptoms whatsoever.”

Mr Hazzard said some cases detected on Thursday were in people who had very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.

“Don’t hesitate. Get out and get tested with the slightest possible symptoms. Even if you’re feeling just a bit tired,” he said.

His personal advice to residents was to wear a mask.

“Seventeen cases is an indicator that we have an issue we have to resolve. We need a little time and we need the help we usually get from residents on the beaches. That involves not leaving the beaches if you can humanly stay on the beaches and preferably stay at home,” he said.

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‘Next 24 or 48 hours are key’: Finding index case is key to NSW cluster, says epidemiologist

By David Estcourt

Discovering who the index case is for the new cluster and what strain variant they have is the best way to quickly map the current outbreak and to stop the spread of the Sydney outbreak, says a leading epidemiologist.

Deakin University epidemiologist Professor Catherine Bennett said if the new outbreak is the same strain as the small outbreak that occurred in Western Sydney some weeks ago, it could present a serious challenge to contract tracers.

Professor Catherine Bennett, the chair of epidemiology at Deakin University. Credit:Jason South

“We haven’t seen a case in NSW from that same strain for weeks”, said Dr Bennett. “If this turned out to be linked back to the same earlier local outbreaks in Western Sydney there would be many missing cases in between.

“This is because the average incubation period of the COVID virus is five days. If the current strain is the same as the one that has been circulating at low levels in Sydney over recent months, then it must have been silently moving through the community for some weeks and has potentially been passed among several hosts over that period.

“Mapping the edges of the current cluster and figuring out how this strain came to be in the community will be the key to understanding and controlling the community transmission.

“The next 24 or 48 hours are key. In that sense, if the outbreak is derived from a strain imported from a country like the United States only recently brought into Australia, for the purposes of contract tracing it could actually be a good thing because the tracers will only have to go back two weeks instead of further.

“Even if they don’t know who was the index case, they can get everyone potentially exposed to on that day at the RSL to test. It does give them some clues they can target the public health response the suburbs and particular people at most risk.”

Masks to be handed out to commuters on Friday

Residents in the northern beaches have been told to stay at home and people outside the area asked to not travel in and out of the area, but it appears train, bus and ferry schedules will follow the usual schedule on Friday.

Masks will be handed out at Wynyard train station, B-Line bus stops, which connect Wynyard and Mona Vale, and Circular Quay ferry wharves on Friday, a NSW government spokesman said.

Masks will be handed out at Circular Quay ferry wharves.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

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Victoria asks travellers from NSW to isolate

By David Estcourt

The Victorian Health Department is urging anyone who has been in the northern beaches area of Sydney since 11 December to stay at home and get tested on Friday.

The department also said they should stay at home until results are available and especially avoid visiting aged care facilities and hospitals.

They said further guidance will be issued as information becomes available.

Victoria’s move follows a similar decision by the Western Australia government several hours ago.

Passengers heading to Perth receive a rude shock

Travellers midway in their journey from NSW to Western Australia have been told they must immediately self-quarantine.

Passengers on a flight from Sydney to Perth were told by the pilot that they must quarantine for one day and get tested.

“Unfortunately while your aircraft has been in the air there have been some changes to our legislation here in WA in relation to quarantining,” the pilot said.

“The good news is it’s not 14 days, it’s a one day quarantine period. In that period you must be COVID tested and you can do it at the airport on the way through.”

Travellers from NSW who arrived in WA after December 11 have also received “urgent alerts” from WA Police saying they must also immediately self-isolate and get tested.

“You must immediately self-quarantine in suitable premises and are required to present to a COVID-19 clinic for testing within 24 hours,” the message said.

“You must isolate until WA Health notifies you of your negative test result.”

Education department staff forced to isolate

By Mary Ward

Staff at the NSW Department of Education’s Eveleigh office were told to self-isolate on Thursday after a colleague tested positive for coronavirus.

An email, seen by the Herald and Age, was sent to staff after 6pm on Thursday, informing them that they would be required to self-isolate until NSW Health provided further advice to the Department.

The Eveleigh office houses the Department’s information technology teams. The Department has been approached for comment.

French President Emmanuel Macron contracts COVID-19

French President Emmanuel Macron has tested positive for COVID-19.

A statement issued by the presidential palace on Thursday morning Paris-time said the 42-year-old had been infected but did not provide any further details.

French President Emmanuel Macron has COVID-19.Credit:AP

He joins British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US President Donald Trump and Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro as world leaders to test positive.

France is battling a major second wave of the disease which has exceeded the first in severity. The country’s official death toll stands at nearly 60,000.

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‘A kick in the guts’: Manly MP says community is hoping for the best

By Lucy Cormack

Member for Manly James Griffin said he was “absolutely gutted on behalf of the people of northern beaches”.

James Griffin, the Member for Manly.Credit:Kirk Gilmour

“Particularly for Manly. We were planning for an amazing couple of days, weeks of summer trade to help our hospitality industry to get back on its feet. This is a kick in the guts,” he said.

“We are really asking everybody to stay at home to limit the spread of COVID on the beaches and we are hoping for the best. We have the best contact tracers in the world.”

Key decision making committee for health emergencies will meet tonight

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) has scheduled a two-hour-long meeting on Thursday night to address the fresh outbreak in NSW.

The AHPPC, the key decision-making committee responsible for emergency responses to health crises, will be meeting at 8pm.

The NSW-Victorian border was closed when Victoria’s outbreak grew.Credit:Getty

AHPPCis comprised of all state and territory Chief Health Officers and is chaired by the Australian Chief Medical Officer.

Last month Victoria closed the border with South Australia when 15 new cases developed there.

The NSW count now stands at 17 just over a week before Christmas.

‘I know all residents will do their bit to get us through these rough times’

By Lucy Cormack

A government source said the NSW Health statement was put out very quickly to give the northern beaches clarity about the seriousness of the potential threat.

“Health would not do this if they didn’t think they needed to act quickly swiftly. We want the public messaging to be clear,” they said, saying it was a moving feast.

The Roze family visited a COVID-19 testing in Avalon in the northern beaches. Credit:Nick Moir

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is expected to front the media on Friday morning.

Northern Beaches councillor Rory Amon said residents needed to trust the process.

“I am proud to represent our community on council and know all residents will steadfastly to do their bit to get us through these rough times,” he said.

Do you know more about the northern beaches outbreak?

NSW recorded 12 days of zero COVID-19 community transmission before detecting a case in a 45-year-old man who works as a van driver shuttling airline crew between Sydney Airport and their accommodation.

After this case was detected on Wednesday morning, two more positive cases were found in the northern beaches in the afternoon- a woman in her 60s and a man in his 70s who are close contacts of each other.

Health authorities are searching for the source of a potential super-spreader event at Avalon Beach RSL on December 11.

If you have any information on the latest outbreak, you can leave a tip here:

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2020-12-17 10:33:00Z
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