Coronavirus NSW: Cumberland Council translates COVID-19 testing message

A western Sydney council at the centre of a new cluster is making sure health messages reach its non-English speaking residents as coronavirus cases spread through Sydney.

Shoppers leave Woolworths Berala on January 3 before masks were mandatory. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Cumberland Council will post letters translated in eight languages urging the non-English speaking community to get tested for coronavirus as the number of venues visited by infected people escalates.

Residents will be notified by post in Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Tamil, Turkish, Farsi dialects including Persian, Vietnamese and Greek by Friday.

The community has become a hotspot since the outbreak at BWS Berala and Woolworths from December 20 to 31 and so far 26,000 people have been tested — falling short of NSW Health’s target of 50,000.

Low internet usage among the multicultural community has also prompted the council to dispense letters notifying residents about testing locations.

Seventy-five per cent of the community comes from non-English speaking backgrounds and the area is home to one of the highest number of asylum seekers in the state.

Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou at a pop-up clinic last year. Picture: John Appleyard

Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou said the council was working with 500 leaders so they could implore their communities to get tested.

“Cumberland is the second most diverse population in NSW; we need to make sure this message is spread far and wide,’’ he said.

“Even if you think they’re mild and got a runny nose, just get tested.

“There’s definitely concern in the community but it’s definitely not panic stations. Our community’s very resilient and very vibrant.’’

Cr Christou said the translated messages would underline that Medicare cards and GP referrals were not necessary at testing clinics, which are free.

NSW Health this week opened clinics at Lidcombe and Berala this week.

A drive-through clinic is at the Sydney University Cumberland campus at 39 Weeroona Rd, Lidcombe, via Gate 3 and opens form 8am to 5pm.

A walk-in clinic is also open at Berala Public School Hall at 216 Harrow Rd.

Operating hours have also been extended across many western Sydney sites, including drive-through clinics at Merrylands Park at the corner of Burnett Street and Merrylands Rd and 48 Boorea St, Auburn, until January 15.

NEW ALERTS, FINES

NSW recorded four new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday night.

An extra case was also recorded in a returned traveller, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 4789.

A Wentworthville man in his 30s has become infected and visited several Wentworthville businesses while infected:

Anyone who attended the following venues at the listed times is considered a casual contact who should get tested immediately and isolate until a negative result is received, and continue to monitor for symptoms and test again if any symptoms develop.

Wentworthville

● BWS (326-336 Great Western Highway) on December 27 from 8.30pm to 8.35pm

● Domino’s Pizza (Shop 2/71, Dunmore St) on December 27 fro 8.50pm to 9pm

● Woolworths (336 Great Western Highway) on December 30, noon to 12.10pm

● Green Farm Meat NSW Halal (Shop 13, 336/326 Great Western Highway) on December 30, 12.10pm to 12.15pm

● Udaya Supermarket (78 Station St) on December 30, 6.30pm to 6.35pm; January 3, 6.30pm to 6.40pm; January 4, 6.30pm to 6.35pm

● Ambeys Big Apple (39A Station St) on January 1, 5.30pm-5.40pm and January 2 from 8.45pm to 8.50pm

● Sri Lakshmi Supermarket (86-96 Station St) on January 1, 5.40pm to 5.45pm

● Pizza Hut (41 Station St) on January 2, 8.30pm to 8.40pm

● Swagath Biryani House (46 Station St), January 4, 6.40pm to 6.50pm

Other locations

● Merrylands RSL Club (8/12 Miller St) on December 28 from 4pm to 6pm

● Sydney Murugan Temple (217 Great Western Highway, Mays Hill), Friday January 1, 12.46pm to 1.06pm and 1.06pm to 1.30pm

● Ollie Webb Reserve (37A Glebe St, Parramatta) social cricket match on December 28, 7.30am to 11am

● Saravaana Bhavan Indian Restaurant in (1/99 Phillip St, Parramatta) on Monday December 28, 10.20am to 10.50am

● Sydney Marina Dine In and Take Away (126 Pendle Way, Pendle Hill) on Sunday January 3, 12.30pm to 12.50pm

Sydney Marina Dine In and Take Away at Pendle Hill will shut for 24 hours on January 6.

Sydney Marina Dine In and Take Away informs customers about the COVID-19 case.

A man gets tested at Auburn Hospital. Picture: Justin Lloyd

On Tuesday night, a 23-year-old Guildford man was fined $1000 after hosting a party with up to 40 guests at his Clement St home about 10.45pm.

Inquiries with Cumberland police are inquiring after they were told a group had been playing loud drums in the backyard.

Six people were yesterday fined $200 each for not wearing masks across greater Sydney including a 27-year-old man on the western train line at 7.15am when he told police he was in a hurry.

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