Sydney’s northern beaches cluster grows with 10 new cases

The worrying cluster on Sydney’s northern beaches continues to grows, with more infections revealed on Friday.

The northern beaches cluster continues to grow, with 10 new cases revealed on Friday, taking the outbreak to 28 as stay at home orders kick in.

An additional case was also recorded in a resident who travelled to Queensland and will be reported in Queensland’s numbers.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged people to stay at home and expects numbers to grow over the coming days.

“People should be not leaving their home unless absolutely necessary,” she said.

“Wear a mask, especially if going grocery shopping and stay away from non-essential activities.

Of the new cases, eight attended the Avalon RSL, 16 went to the Avalon Bowlo, two cases attended both and two have been linked back to those events.

Dr Kerry Chant said the strain is likely from the US. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

RELATED : People ordered to stay home amid new border measures

“If we don’t get on top of it in the next few days it could mean further restrictions,” Ms Berejiklian said.

No further cases have been linked to the Sydney airport bus driver who transports flight crew and tested positive earlier in the week.

It is also likely the strain came from the US, chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant confirmed, prompting concerns about quarantine and restrictions in place for US-based airline staff.

“NSW Health can now confirm the viral genome sequencing of the Avalon COVID-19 cluster does not match the virus strains seen in recent clusters in Australia,” the health department said in the statement.

“This virus may be of United States origin and linked to international aircrew, however investigations are continuing.”

New cases include two residents from southeast Sydney who are also linked to the Avalon cluster.

RELATED : Sydney’s virus outbreak moves south.

Queues at Northern Beaches testing clinics grow. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Meanwhile residents north of Sydney’s Spit Bridge, all the way to Palm Beach, have been warned to stay home as health authorities race to determine the source of the outbreak.

People in the area have been urged against visiting friends or relatives in aged care facilities or hospitals unless it is essential.

Unnecessary gatherings should be avoided, as well as high-risk venues such as clubs and restaurants, and people should stick to their household group.

“At this time, we request that people from outside the area should avoid unnecessary travel to the Northern Beaches,” a spokesman from NSW Health said.

The request applies to everyone from Palm Beach to The Spit.

New border restrictions have been imposed on Sydneysiders. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Several venues have also been put on alert and queues at testing clinics in the Northern Beaches have exploded, with queues starting hours before the centres opened on Friday.

Pop up clinics are operational until 10pm.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard urged people who live in the northern beaches of Sydney to get tested if they felt any cold or flu-like symptoms.

“Err on the side of having the test,” Mr Hazzard said.

The news comes as other state leaders have slammed their borders shut on anyone crossing the NSW border.

Northern beaches residents are banned from entering Victoria as of midnight, while Queensland has also resorted to a hot spot method.

Anyone arriving in Western Australia needs to self-isolate for 14 days.

Tasmania declared Sydney’s Northern Beaches Local Government Area high risk on Friday morning.

While anyone who travels from there to the Northern Territory will have to stay for 14 days in a supervised quarantine facility in Alice Springs or Darwin.

NSW Health can advise there are now 28 cases associated with the Avalon cluster, with 25 are linked to either the Avalon RSL, the Avalon Bowlo, or both. pic.twitter.com/jkKMmqS9uG

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) December 18, 2020

Originally published as Sydney’s northern beaches cluster grows with 10 new cases