Where NSW Covid cases are spreading in horror surge before Christmas

Maps tracking Covid cases in NSW are getting darker and darker, with one Sydney area recording a fifth of today’s 5612 cases.

In just under 48 hours until Christmas, NSW hit a milestone nobody wanted.

After a string of record-breaking daily increases in Covid-19 cases, the state recorded 5715 new infections in the 24 hours reported to 8pm on Wednesday.

This was 1932 cases up from the state’s previous record-breaking increase of 3783 new cases – set only the day before.

Now on Christmas Eve, NSW Health has revealed only a slight dip in cases, with the state recording 5612 new infections to 8pm on Thursday.

The state is also managing 382 Covid patients in hospital, with 53 cases in ICU, both these figures increased in the past 24 hours by 35 and 8 respectively.

Greater Sydney's Covid case spread a week before on December 16. Picture: NSW Health

Greater Sydney's Covid case spread on December 23. Picture: NSW Health

Cases group in Sydney region

In NSW Health’s breakdown of cases, the majority of cases were reported in the South Eastern Sydney local health district, with 1218 of the state’s 5612 new cases reported there.

NSW Health said there was no one specific event in the area that the increase in cases was linked to.

Graphs tracking Covid case numbers over the year show that South Eastern Sydney was far from recording the highest case numbers previously.

NSW Covid cases by area, December 23. Picture: CovidBaseAU Twitter

The district covers areas like Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick, Bayside, Kogarah, Hurstville and the Sutherland Shire.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said on Thursday the Omicron strain largely explained the steep rise in cases, but said research showed infection with Omicron was likely milder than Delta.

“But the issue is the increased transmisability leading to high case numbers and the impact this is having on vulnerable settings, vulnerable people and critical workforces such as our health and aged care workforce,” she said.

“It’s also important to remember more cases across the population, even if a smaller proportion of them lead to hospitalisation, you can see higher hospitalisations overall.”

Of Thursday’s cases, 592 were also attributed to the Hunter New England Local Health District, where the Newcastle nightclub superspreader began Australia’s largest Covid outbreak on Wednesday, December 8.

Prominent case figures were also reported in Sydney LHD (862), South Western Sydney LHD (605), Western Sydney LHD (780) and Northern Sydney LHD (641).

The high concentration of cases in Sydney’s CBD can be traced to a celebration commemorate the release of Red (Taylor’s Version) which was held at the Metro Theatre in Sydney’s CBD. As of Sunday, at least 97 attendees had tested positive.

– with Chantelle Francis

‘People’s Christmases are being destroyed’

In the days leading up to Christmas, media commentators have shared concerns over how rising infectious could affect Christmas.

Hosting The Project on Wednesday night, Lisa Wilkinson said a delay in mask mandates and rules which could have tempered cases have “destroyed” Christmas.

“We’re just a couple of days away from Christmas. You’ve seen those numbers in NSW; they’re going through the roof,” she said. “People’s Christmases are being destroyed, because that is the state where there is no mask mandate.”

Lisa Wilkinson shared her bleak prediction for December 25. Picture: Channel 10.

Earlier that day, Prime Minister Scott Morrison had addressed media after a national cabinet meeting where he “highly recommended” people wear masks while indoors.

Despite this, he was reluctant to impose rules which would make this mandatory, advocating “self regulation”. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has adopted a similar strategy, asking people to exercise “personal responsibility”.

This came in direct contrast to advice given my many medical staff, including the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC).

In communication sent to state and territory leaders, they said the “implementation of mask wearing measures should occur prior to Omicron case escalation to have maximum benefit,” as reported by The Guardian.

‘Overwhelming demand’ for tests

Surging cases near Christmas with testing requirements for interstate travel has also caused queues to balloon at testing clinics, with some reporting wait times of up to eight hours.

One front line worker took to Twitter, sharing a plea for residents to “be nice to the people testing you”.

“I work in a Sydney Covid testing clinic. Shit is bonkers right now. We know wait times are insane, we’re in full PPE in 35 degree heat for 12 hours a day. Everything sucks for everyone, but please be nice to the people testing you xx”

“When someone says ‘thanks everyone!’ as they leave, we talk about it for like 10 mins.”

I work in a Sydney COVID testing clinic. Shit is bonkers right now. We know wait times are insane, we’re in full PPE in 35 degree heat for 12 hours a day. Everything sucks for everyone, but please be nice to the people testing you xx

— Alex Jae (@alexjae1) December 22, 2021

This comes as many residents have shared lengthy lines, despite arriving at testing centres in the early hours.

“After turning people away yesterday due to overwhelming demand and extreme heat, there are already hundreds queued at drive-thru #COVID-19 testing clinic at Barden Ridge in Sydney’s south ahead of 8am opening today,” shared 9News journalist, Troy Deighton.

“My daughter – deemed a close contact, was turned away from a testing clinic at a NSW hospital. I then drove her 70+km to Sydney to have a Covid test. Disgusting,” tweeted another angry resident.

The queue for the walk-in covid testing clinic at Sydney Central station just now. pic.twitter.com/mqp6J75aaq

— Stilgherrian (@stilgherrian) December 22, 2021

👇 We'll be spending Christmas Eve waiting in line at a Sydney testing clinic, all of which are already overwhelmed with legit close contacts and actual covid cases, trying to get my fully-vaxxed & asymptomatic mum tested just so she can fly home to Adelaide on Boxing Day. https://t.co/YtMoHOTaSj

— Lia Harris (@LiaJHarris) December 21, 2021

Christmas could be a ‘simultaneous super spreader event’

With cases trending notably trending upwards, several medical experts have expressed fears over rampant transmission at Christmas. One Sydney-based clinical immunologist went as far to say that December 25 could become a “simultaneous super spreader event all across Sydney in thousands of houses”.

Uploading a 17-minute video to Facebook, Dr Dan Suan advocated NSW residents to make their Christmas celebrations more Covid-safe by moving their get together outdoors, while also encouraging masks and social-distancing.

“You need to really think through how to use technology and how to use the thing we know works – masking, distancing – to protect your family at Christmas,” he said.