No new local COVID-19 cases in NSW for 16th day in row

After NSW found the source of a mystery coronavirus case, the state has cleared a border threshold set by Queensland.

NSW has found the source of a mystery coronavirus case, fulfilling a requirement Queensland has made for a full border reopening.

The news came as NSW recorded no new locally acquired coronavirus cases for the 16th day in a row, although five new cases in hotel quarantine were reported.

The case with the unknown source related to a cluster in the Southern Highlands town of Moss Vale. After extensive analysis, NSW Health officials say it has now been connected with a previously reported cluster in the Sydney suburb of Liverpool.

The finding means there hasn’t been a NSW coronavirus case with an unknown source since late October.

In other words, NSW has now cleared the threshold of 28 days without a case with an unknown source that the Queensland government imposed as a benchmark for a full southern border reopening.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who has previously slammed the 28-day demand as arbitrary and unscientific, was asked to comment on reaching that milestone on Monday.

“Unfortunately, some state premiers are kind of making up the advice as they go,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“I just ask other premiers to exhibit some compassion.”

NSW has recorded no new locally acquired coronavirus cases for the 16th day in a row. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Swift

Asked what the new development would mean for the Queensland-NSW border, a spokesperson for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said: “As the Premier has repeatedly said, these decisions are made and announced at the end of each month.”

The new NSW coronavirus numbers come as the NSW-Victoria border opened up after more than four months of limited access.

And other restrictions eased, too.

NSW residents will now be allowed to invite up to 500 people to outdoor religious events, and carollers will be allowed to sing outdoors in groups of up to 30 people.

Ticketed outdoor events held in an enclosed or fenced area will be allowed up to 3000 people.

Previously, music performances and rehearsals could only be held outdoors with a maximum of 500 people.

But some rules have become stricter.

NSW businesses will be forced to check-in customers electronically from now on, meaning pen and paper is no longer an accepted method of registration.

Reflecting on the eased restrictions, Ms Berejiklian took the opportunity to thank the citizens of her state.

“Every step of the way our citizens have come with us, and I just ask for people to keep doing that.”

Speaking in Albury before the lifting of the NSW-Victoria border at 12.01am on Monday, Ms Berejiklian said she was confident in her state’s strategy to live in a COVID-safe way.

“We’ve had the most practice at it, and I can appreciate that some of the smaller states haven’t,” she said.

Ms Berejiklian said the four-month closure was estimated to have cost several million dollars, but there was no price on “keeping the community safe”.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the NSW-Victoria border closure contributed to keeping her state safe. Picture: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

More than five million cars crossed through the border checkpoint and one million permits were given out during the hard border.

Even as NSW and Victoria open up to each other, South Australia’s COVID-19 outbreak has caused alarm in NSW.

Anyone who has recently been in South Australia is urged to complete a declaration form on the Service NSW website so health officials can keep track of anyone who has been to an “area of concern”.

Anyone who has been to South Australia and feels any symptoms should immediately self-isolate and get tested.

NSW Health also advises residents to steer clear of Adelaide unless a visit is absolutely necessary.