Two venues on the NSW south coast are on alert after a visit from infectious Victorians

Venues on the south coast are on alert after two infectious Victorians travelled to NSW earlier in the week.

Residents on the NSW south coast are on alert after two venues were listed as potential exposure sites after being visited by Victorians who may have been infectious.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said the two positive cases travelled from Victoria to NSW on December 30 and dined at the Great Southern Hotel in Eden between 5pm and 6.30pm.

She said the venue has been contacted and contact tracing is under way.

The cases are believed to be linked to the Smile Buffalo Thai Restaurant in the bayside suburb of Black Rock, Melbourne. They received an alert while on a road trip in NSW informing them they were close contacts of another case.

They were tested in NSW and have since returned to Victoria to isolate.

One of the cases also ate at the Bermi’s Beachside Cafe in Bermagui between 9am and 10am on December 31.

But Dr Chant avoided further questions about the pair and said it would be “appropriate” to refer to Victorian health officials about the source of the infection.

“I think it is most appropriate that Victoria comment on their investigations,” she said.

“We are working closely with them and assisting them. They did raise with us that there might have been a link with someone who had travelled to Sydney.

Two venues on the NSW south coast, including the Great Southern Hotel in Eden, are on alert after a visit from potentially infectious Victorians. Picture: Google

“I can confirm that the person (from Sydney) tested negative and they are now not pursuing that line of inquiry.

“Obviously they are continuing their investigation and it’s really a matter for them to comment on.”

Further investigations revealed a case from the Croydon cluster and a case from Wollongong both attended the Swallowed Anchor restaurant in Wollongong.

Anyone who attended the Swallowed Anchor at any time on December 19 must get tested and self-isolate until they receive further advice from NSW Health.

“The genomic sequencing result came back late yesterday, and what that showed is the Croydon cluster is linked to the Avalon cluster and the two cases recorded in Wollongong are also linked to the Avalon cluster,” Dr Chant said.

“All those cases are linked, and investigations and contact tracing are trying to establish the epidemiological links, particularly to identify those missing links and hence the importance in relation to the Swallowed Anchor restaurant.

“There may have been a person at that restaurant who unknowingly had COVID-19 at that time who then had exposures or links to the northern beaches venues or sites.”

Bunnings in Smithfield has been listed as an exposure site. Picture: Jason O'Brien

Meanwhile, Bunnings a, Woolworths, and a bottle shop are among the new NSW venues visited by a confirmed case of coronavirus.

Anyone who attended the following venues at the listed times is considered a casual contact who must get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.

ASHFIELD: Bunnings, corner of Parramatta Rd and Frederick St, on December 28 from 12pm to 1pm.

BERALA: BWS, 15-16 Woodburn Road, December 24 from 4.45pm to 9.06pm, on December 26 from 9.55am to 7.04pm, and December 28 from 12.44pm to 7.15pm.

BERALA: Pure Thai, 160 Woodburn Road, on December 26 from 2pm to 4pm, and December 28 from 2pm to 4pm.

Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed should monitor for symptoms.

STRATHFIELD: Woolworths Strathfield Plaza, 19/11 The Boulevarde, December 20 from 9am to 9.10am.

BERALA: Woolworths, 15-16 Woodburn Rd, December 24 from 9pm to 9.30pm, December 26 from 7am to 7.30pm and December 28 from 7.15pm to 7.45pm.

HABERFIELD: Clark Rubber, 3-15 Parramatta Rd, December 28 from 12pm to 12.15pm.

SMITHFIELD: Bunnings, corner of Cumberland Highway and Sturt Street, on December 29 from 1.15pm to 1.35pm.

SMITHFIELD: Tile Factory Outlet (TFO), 107 Warren Road, on December 29 from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.

For a full list of venue alerts visited by confirmed cases of coronavirus, please go to the NSW Health website.

Originally published as Two venues on the NSW south coast are on alert after a visit from infectious Victorians