NSW Covid updates: Four cases of Omicron

Two more returning travellers have tested positive to the Omicron strain of Covid-19. There are now four local cases of the variant in NSW.

Two more returning travellers have tested positive to the Omicron strain of Covid-19.

There are now four local cases of the variant in NSW.

Both new cases were passengers who arrived in Sydney from South Africa on November 28.

The pair are now isolating in special health accommodation and are both fully vaccinated.

Everyone on the Singapore Airlines flight is now a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days.

OMICRON CASE IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

The Northern Territory has recorded its first case of the Omicron variant.

A repatriated Australian who travelled to Darwin from South Africa has the strain, Health Minister Natasha Fyles confirmed on Monday.

She said there was no risk to the community, with the man travelling straight into the Centre for National Resilience upon his arrival.

Meanwhile genomic sequencing for the new variant is underway in NSW on several new Covid cases in travellers from southern Africa.

Health officials confirmed three travellers from southern Africa who arrived on Sunday night have tested positive for Covid-19. One of the cases is being treated as an “old infection”, but urgent sequencing is being carried out to determine if the two other people were infected with omicron.

“Results are expected this evening,” NSW Health said in a statement.

Testing has confirmed three passengers who arrived in Sydney from southern Africa on Sunday evening, 28 November, are positive for COVID-19.

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) November 29, 2021

Another fourth traveller from southern Africa who arrived on November 23 has also tested positive to Covid-19, with results expected later.
”Initial testing indicates this person is unlikely to have been infected with the Omicron variant,” the statement said.
The traveller is isolating at home, is fully vaccinated and asymptomatic.

Results of genomic sequencing for a person who arrived in Sydney from southern Africa on 23 November and tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday (Sunday) are also expected today. Initial testing indicates this person is unlikely to have been infected with the Omicron variant.

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) November 29, 2021

It comes as two returned travellers who arrived in Sydney from Africa on Saturday tested positive for omicron, becoming Australia’s first confirmed cases of the new variant.

NSW reported 150 new Covid cases on Monday and no deaths.

Another 141 travellers from southern African hot spots have entered NSW in the past 24 hours.

Mr Perrottet said NSW was still on track for a “very bright summer”.

“The pandemic is not over but we need to continue to open up our state, open up our people back to the world,” he said,

“Over the last 24 hours we had 141 people from those nine affected countries come in, there are two possibly three positive cases,” Mr Perrottet said.

Australian Border Force officials at the arrivals in Sydney Airport Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

He said all 141 people were isolating in health quarantine facilities, but urged locals not to panic as the state and federal governments would have a “co-ordinated approach.”

He said the December 1 date to allow international students and migrant workers in the country would likely be changed and flagged neighbouring state Victoria’s new protocol of 72 hours quarantine for all overseas travellers as “the right approach”.

“We continue to take a precautionary approach … we’re having a national cabinet in relation to developments I think tomorrow or later today,” Mr Perrottet said.

“We need to learn to live alongside the variants as well.”

Mr Perrottet said there were no current plans to restart hotel quarantine arrangements.

He said he wants a “one nation” approach to the virus and not states operating as “a set of penal colonies”.

“We will work closely together with the states can have a harmonious aligned response,” he said.