Sydney CBD COVID outbreak linked to northern beaches cluster

Health authorities have confirmed the spread of the virus to CBD workers is linked to the northern beaches cluster.

New South Wales health authorities have confirmed the Sydney CBD coronavirus cases are related to the northern beaches cluster.

In an update on Monday afternoon, NSW Health said five cases confirmed in a CBD workplace have been linked to the Avalon cluster, prompting the state’s health body to identify there is no ongoing risk from the spread.

Ten other workers from that specific premise are undergoing testing and are isolating while they wait for the results.

Authorities confirmed the “transmission event” on Monday morning and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed the state had recorded another 15 new cases on Monday, all linked to the northern beaches cluster.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant revealed the virus had also been unknowingly brought into a CBD workplace, but described attempts to “call out” carriers as “counter-productive”.

“It is really critical that we do not call out people in this outbreak or send myths around who spread it to whom and who has contributed and who seeded it,” she told reporters.

“It’s really counter-productive. At the moment, people need to come forward for testing. And we need to thank every single person who has taken the step of coming through for testing because we know that not everyone with respiratory symptoms is coming forward for testing.”

Premier Berejiklian said the smaller caseload compared to previous days shows restrictions are having the desired effect.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NSW Minister for Health Brad Hazzard is seen wearing a face mask during a COVID-19 press conference. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

The new cases recorded in the 24-hour period up to 8pm on Sunday night means there has been a total of 83 cases linked to the northern beaches cluster, NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said.

But just how that outbreak came to be is still a mystery,

“We have yet to find the source of the infection,” Dr Chant said.

One of the new cases had been at a work event in Sydney’s central business district, and another had been at the Rose of Australia pub in Erskineville, a venue that’s previously been the subject of a transmission alert.

There were also five cases linked to the Turramurra Salon for Hair.

Ms Berejiklian cautioned that the situation is fluid and the lower caseload doesn’t necessarily mean Christmas plans can be salvaged.

“I appreciate how frustrating it is, and I would love to be able to tell everybody today what Christmas might look like in NSW or the northern beaches. But we’re not in a position to do that yet,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“What I’ve learned in the pandemic is that things are very volatile and can move quickly.”

NSW has recorded 15 new cases linked to the northern beaches cluster in Sydney, the state’s premier said. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

Ms Berejiklian said any decision about lifting restrictions for the northern beaches and Greater Sydney would be made “at the last minute”.

The new cases were discovered after NSW residents presented for coronavirus testing in record numbers.

The state recorded 38,578 tests on Sunday.

But while Ms Berejiklian said it was pleasing that daily numbers were dropping, her health Minister had stern words for people who don’t take pub and restaurant check-in procedures seriously.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said there has been problems with people leaving fake names when registering their visits to pubs and “trying to be funny”.

“Thinking it’s funny to call yourself Donald Duck is about as stupid as it gets,” Mr Hazzard said.

The northern beaches outbreak has thrown Christmas plans into chaos as most states and territories imposed tough restrictions on travel from NSW over the weekend.

Queensland, Victoria and the Northern Territory were among the jurisdictions that consider all of Greater Sydney a hotspot and barring people who have recently been there to travel.

Originally published as Sydney CBD COVID outbreak linked to northern beaches cluster