Coronavirus NSW: Alerts for Oran Park childcare centre, school, supermarket; Gregory Hills Hotel and Narellan cinemas
Authorities are hunting for close contacts of a person infected with COVID-19 who visited a southwest Sydney pub and cinema complex and caught several buses over the past nine days. The case is linked to a cluster that includes a childcare centre, school and Woolworths supermarket.
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NSW Health is in a race to trace close contacts of a coronavirus-infected person who visited a series of Western Sydney and south coast venues while infected.
The case is linked to the Oran Park cluster and reportedly made several trips on public transport, as well as visiting a pub and a cinema over the past nine days while infectious with the disease.
Health authorities are warning anyone who visited the Gregory Hills Hotel on the evening of October 9 or United Cinema in Narellan Town Centre on October 10 between 12.50pm and 3pm that they are potentially a close contact. They must get tested then remain in isolation until a negative test is confirmed.
Anyone at Shellharbour South Beach and Little Park on October 11 between noon and 4pm, or at Oran Park Woolworths the next day between 6.40pm and 6.55pm are considered casual contacts and should monitor for symptoms.
NSW is also asking for bus passengers who travelled on the following routes on Wednesday, October 14, to monitor for symptoms: 840 from Oran Park Dr (South Street Circuit) to Campbelltown Station from 9.40am-10.10am; 885 from Campbelltown Station to Bradbury from 10.15am-10.45am; 885 from Bradbury to Campbelltown Station from 2pm-2.30pm; and 840 from Campbelltown Station to Bradbury from 3pm-3.30pm.
SEVEN NEW CASES FOR NSW
NSW recorded seven coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, including five which were locally transmitted.
Health authorities say those five cases were linked to a known case or cluster, including three people from a family who attended Greater Beginnings Childcare Centre in Oran Park. Another of Saturday’s new local cases is an educator who works at this centre, NSW Health said.
All staff or children who attended Great Beginnings Childcare Centre between October 2 and 13 are considered close contacts and must get tested immediately and self-isolate for a full 14 days from when they last attended. They must stay isolated for their full isolation period regardless of their test result, NSW Health said.
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The fifth locally acquired case is a student who attends Oran Park High School. Staff and students have been told to self-isolate. Contact tracing is under way and the school will be thoroughly cleaned over the weekend. The student is a close contact of a known confirmed case linked to the Liverpool Private Clinic cluster which now numbers 11 cases.
One of the new cases also visited Woolworths Oran Park on October 12 between 7pm and 7.30pm. Anyone who was at the store during this time is considered a casual contact and must monitor for symptoms.
NSW earlier this week welcomed the first international flights from New Zealand under the travel bubble arrangement, which means the arrivals are not required to stay in mandatory hotel quarantine for two weeks.
But the program quickly ran into issues, after 17 travellers who landed in Sydney were caught entering Melbourne on day one of the bubble.
SEARCH FOR KIWI TRAVELLERS IN VICTORIA
Victorian authorities are continuing their hunt for 17 Kiwis who dashed to Melbourne from Sydney on day one of the trans-Tasman bubble.
Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the group, who slipped through the net because Victorian health officials say they had “no authority” to stop them, are currently unable to be located after their interstate dash.
The bungle comes as NSW recorded five cases of community transmitted coronavirus linked to clusters in Liverpool and Oran Park.
Victoria recorded its lowest number of cases since June 5 with just one diagnosed, and no deaths, on the same day it was trying to locate the New Zealand group.
The Kiwi travellers are understood to have slipped through domestic flight checks after arriving in Sydney and hopping on a connecting flight to Melbourne to visit family.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison had praised the opening of the bubble between Sydney and New Zealand on Friday, literally at the same time as the passengers were boarding the flight to Melbourne.
Victorian officials are currently unaware of the group’s movements because the Australian Border Force has yet to release their boarding cards to state health medicos.
Of the five new locally transmitted coronavirus cases in NSW three are from a family who attended Greater Beginnings Childcare Oran Park while one other is an educator at the facility.
The other case is a student at Oran Park High School who is a close contact of a previously confirmed case linked to the Liverpool Private Clinic clusters, which has risen to 11.
Two other cases were also confirmed in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
BALLINA PUB VIDEO REVEALS STUNNING COVID BREACHES
A popular north coast hotel will be closed down for a week for breaching COVID safety regulations after authorities found patrons dancing and drunk on multiple visits.
From 5am on Saturday, the Shaws Bay Hotel in Ballina will shut its doors after having already been served two $5000 fines.
The fines were issued by Liquor & Gaming NSW after police identified 12 breaches of the Public Health Orders, as well as intoxication, across two visits on September 27 and October 4.
The breaches included a safety marshal not enforcing the COVID-19 Safety Plan, group bookings exceeding the 10-person limit and no physical distancing between queues inside at the bar and outside the venue.
Patrons were also found “mingling between tables and in queues”, alcohol being consumed while standing and patrons “walking around and dancing”.
Authorities also found intoxicated people being served alcohol and mingling with other patrons.
Liquor & Gaming Director of Compliance Dimitri Argeres said the hotel’s ongoing non-compliance with social distancing obligations presented a serious risk to public safety.
“The Shaws Bay Hotel had ample warning to tighten up their game, given they were visited and fined twice,” he said.
Mr Argeres said it was clear the ongoing operation of the premises could endanger public health, “particularly given a potential increase in patronage over the weekend around the Northern Rivers Rugby League grand final.”
Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello warned businesses who disobeyed the rules. .
“The vast majority of businesses do the right thing but it’s frustrating to see some still don’t seem to get it,” he said.
“We will not hesitate to crack down on those who think they are above the law.”
The Shaws Bay Hotel will be closed for seven days from 5am Saturday 17 October until 5am Saturday 24 October under the Public Health Act 2010.
It is the third NSW venue to be closed for a week following the closure of Unity Hall Hotel in Rozelle and the Rivers Inn Restaurant in Thredbo last month.
Over the past two weeks, Liquor & Gaming, NSW Fair Trading and SafeWork NSW have conducted 311 hospitality venue inspections and found almost 100 per cent compliance.
ANOTHER HOTEL FINED FOR COVID BREACHES
A hotel in Bourke has been fined $10,000 for COVID safety breaches, NSW Police revealed.
Western Region Licensing Police allege the licensee of Mitchell St hotel “breached the Public Health Orders” on Friday October 0 and Saturday October 10.
The hotel licensee was issued with two fines worth $5000 on October 16 for failing to comply with COVID-19 regulations.
“It is the responsibility of everyone in this state to follow the rules and keep our community safe from the COVID virus,” Central North Police District command, Superintendent Andrew Hurst, said.
“My officers will continue to monitor compliance within the command; anyone who needs information about the current Public Health Orders should visit the NSW Health website.”