Croydon, Croydon Park, Strathfield and more added to hot spot list

THE NT will close its borders to a number of New South Wales suburbs following an increase in COVID-19 cases in the state

• NT acted ‘prematurely’ opening up to Sydney, health group says

THE Territory will close its borders to several Sydney suburbs from midnight after a spike in COVID-19 cases in New South Wales.

Acting Chief Minister Nicole Manison announced NSW suburbs Croydon, Croydon Park, Lilli Pilli, Strathfield, Strathfield North, Strathfield South and Sutherland would be declared COVID-19 hot spots from 12.01am.

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NSW recorded 18 new cases of COVID-19 in the past day with a new cluster declared in Croydon in Sydney’s inner-west.

“Again, this is based on the latest advice that we have received from our medical professionals, and after assessing the situation that we have seen in New South Wales,” Ms Manison said.

“This is also another reminder to Territorians, that if you travel interstate and if things change that we will be acting swiftly and that you could very well find yourself when you return to the Northern Territory, having to quarantine at a cost of $2500. This is just the COVID-19 world that we live in now.”

Ms Manison also said anyone who has travelled to the Northern Territory from these suburbs since December 25 needed to self-isolate and get tested immediately.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the outbreak in Croydon had a concerning six cases recorded thus far, spread across a large family in three households.

There was also another new case in Wollongong, 120km south of Sydney, taking the total there to two.

A series of mystery cases, the source of which can’t be determined, continue to concern NSW Health.

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The Territory reopened its borders to Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Central Coast areas on December 24 and to Illawarra a day before, after declaring the areas COVID-19 hot spots on December 20.

The Northern Beaches hot spot declaration is yet to be revoked after coming into effect on December 17.

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Originally published as Croydon, Croydon Park, Strathfield and more added to hot spot list