Byron Bay Covid case under investigation by NSW police

Police are investigating the 50-year-old man who travelled to Byron Bay after a family member believed to be his wife tested positive for Covid in Sydney.

Police are investigating the 50-year-old man who travelled to Byron Bay after a family member believed to be his wife tested positive for Covid in Sydney.

The road trip has now plunged thousands of families in the region into lockdown amid claims the man did not use QR codes to check in and did not co-operate with authorities.

The man is believed to have travelled in the shires of Byron, Richmond Valley, Lismore and Ballina to view real estate with two relatives, believed to be his teenage children. The mayor of Byron Bay Michael Lyon reported the children had also tested positive this morning.

Pop-up testing clinics have been created in the Byron shire. Monday, August 9, 2021.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said police were now investigating the matter.

“All I prepared to say about our traveller to Byron is the police are looking extremely closely at what he was doing in that area,” he said.

“I trust the police will be able to take appropriate action in due course. There are matters where one has to be a bit cautious because I‘m not going to prejudice part of the police investigations or the police actions. I am certainly hopeful there will be both.”

Under a shock loophole in NSW, Sydney residents remain allowed to travel outside the city to look at properties, sparking concern from residents in regional communities.

The state’s public health orders provide an exemption for “inspecting a potential new place of residence”.

But Dr Hazzard warned anyone not complying with the rules that the “forces of the law are coming after you.”

NSW Police have declined to comment on claims that the man’s wife had tested positive for Covid either before or during the man’s road trip.

Earlier, Byron Mayor Michael Lyon claimed the man‘s two teen children had also since tested positive.

“He got sick and didn‘t get tested until he was really sick,” he said.

“It seems to be a clear case of negligence and intentional disregard. I think there needs to be some kind of penalty for that.”

The family are believed to have been staying in an Airnbnb in the Byron hinterland.

As a result, the four local government areas have been plunged into a snap 7-day lockdown.

Anyone in Queensland in border communities who may have travelled in the regions is now also subject to the same stay at home orders.

“He travelled from Sydney to Byron Bay on 31 July and never travelled into Queensland. That is good. It is reassuring but having said that, anyone who has been in those four LGAs while he was there needs to now stay-at-home except those essential reasons,” Queensland Chief Medical Office Jeanette Young said.