NSW sporting club caught up in Victorian Covid cluster

Members of a NSW sporting club are being contacted by health officials after they attended an event visited by a confirmed case.

Victoria’s latest Covid-19 cluster is creeping closer to NSW, with members of a sporting club in the state’s south being exposed.

NSW Health is urgently contacting people from a sporting club based in Tooleybuc, in the western Riverina region of NSW, who attended a sporting event in Cohuna, Victoria on Saturday 22 May from 12 to 5pm.

This event was attended by a confirmed case of Covid-19.

Anyone who attended is requested to immediately self-isolate and await further advice from NSW Health.

The department is also advising people in NSW to postpone non-urgent travel to Greater Melbourne and Bendigo, as Victorian health authorities continue to investigate the latest outbreak.

Queues for Covid-19 testing in Victoria. The latest cluster has reached into NSW, with members of a sporting club in contact with a confirmed case. Picture: Simon Cross

People with COVID-19 have visited a number of venues in Greater Melbourne and in and near Bendigo while infectious.

This includes the Melbourne Cricket Ground and a number of hospitality venues.

NSW residents who have been in Victoria since 12 May are asked to check the Victoria Department of Health and Human Services website regularly to see if you have visited any of these venues of concern, and if so, immediately follow the relevant public health advice.

If you attended any of the venues identified at the times listed, please contact NSW Health immediately on 1800 943 553.

POSTPONE TRAVEL TO GREATER MELBOURNE

NSW Health is urging NSW residents to postpone all non-urgent travel to Greater Melbourne and Bendigo as Victorian health authorities continue to investigate an outbreak of Covid-19.

The warning comes after health authorities confirmed two close contacts of Victoria’s growing cluster had been found in NSW.

Health authorities said they spoke to the contacts on Tuesday night and they have both since tested negative to the virus.

The NSW border with Victoria will remain open. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Anyone who visited impacted regions since Wednesday, May 12 has been urged not to visit aged care or healthcare facilities unless there are compassionate or medical grounds.

Chief medical officer Dr Kerry Chant said returned travellers from Greater Melbourne and Victoria should check venues of concern and come forward for testing.

“We are dealing with an evolving situation … it’s critical at this time that you complete those declarations if you’ve come from greater Melbourne,” she said.

“If you have the most minimal of symptoms, please get tested.”

Dr Chant said there had been “many thousands” of people who had travelled from Melbourne to Sydney in the window of concern and health authorities have clarified there had been close contacts of the Victorian cases in NSW.

“We are very connected to our southern neighbours,” she said.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the crisis in Melbourne highlights the need for rapid vaccination.

Ms Berejiklian said she will not shut the borders to Victoria based off current information.

“That could happen in any state in Australia. I want to thank the nearly 17,000 people who came forward for testing,” she said.

“This is a wake up call for us.”

Gladys Berejiklian with community and religious leaders at the Vaccination Hub at Sydney Olympic Park. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

Flanked by prominent religious and community leaders, Ms Berejiklian pleaded with locals to get the Covid-19 vaccine as Victoria battles a growing cluster of new cases.

“This message extends to every single person in our state. No matter your background, no matter your postcode, the message is simple for us. We need as many of our citizens vaccinated,” she said.

More than 30 religious leaders have banded together to spread the message to get vaccinated.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard encouraged people to rethink travel plans to Greater Melbourne.

“Obviously there are some challenges in Victoria in present times … it might be wise, it might be precautionary to not travel to Victoria or Melbourne.”