NSW records nine new local coronavirus cases on Boxing Day

NSW has recorded nine new local cases on Boxing Day with Gladys Berejiklian saying there are “still concerns” about the northern beaches and CBD.

NSW has recorded nine new coronavirus cases on Boxing Day, with eight linked to the northern beaches cluster.

One of the new cases in Saturday’s figures is a child who tested positive after the 8pm cut-off period but was announced on Friday.

They are the fourth case linked to Paddington Alimentari deli and cafe.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said nearly 40,000 tests were conducted on Christmas Day.

“There are still concerns about the CBD and still concerns about people in the northern beaches who may unintentionally have spread the virus without knowing they have it,” she said.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has urged people to get tested if they show symptoms. Picture: Sam Mooy/The Australian

She said the ninth case, was a local in Bondi who had not been directly linked to the Avalon cluster.

However she said they may be a false positive or an old infection.

Of the eight that were directly linked, six are household contacts of confirmed cases and the other two were close contacts to a venue where the disease was transmitted.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Kerry Chant said one of the cases was a person who flew from Sydney to Griffith, in the Riverina region of the state, on Monday December 21.

She said the person flew before they knew they were a close contact of a case and had done nothing wrong.

“We are alerting passengers on that REX flight that departed Sydney for Griffith on Monday the 21st of December,” she said.

“There were 28 passengers and one flight attendant on the flight, which left Sydney at 2.10pm and arrived at 4.20pm in Griffith.

“They are considered close contacts and must self-isolate for 14 days.”

Starting on Sunday, NSW will revert to pre-Christmas restrictions for three days. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Starting on Sunday, the state will revert back to pre-Christmas coronavirus restrictions for three days.

However, there will be slight changes to the prior rules, which will allow people in the northern part of the northern beaches to hold outdoor gatherings of up to five people for recreation or exercise.

In the southern part, those gatherings will be allowed to accommodate up to 10 people.

The premier said an announcement about New Year’s Eve and January arrangements would be made in the next few days.

An additional six coronavirus cases were confirmed on Saturday in people who are in hotel quarantine, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 1658.

Nearly 40,000 people turned out for coronavirus testing on Christmas Day. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Flavio Brancaleone

It comes after the state recorded seven new local cases on Christmas Day following a record turnout of nearly 70,000 for testing in the 24-hour period before.

Four people from the Christmas Day figures were linked to the northern beaches cluster, while three were under investigation.

Six of the seven people were already in isolation.

The Avalon cluster now stands at 127 cases.

Originally published as NSW records nine new local coronavirus cases on Boxing Day