NSW authorities hunt contacts on south coast after infected traveller from Victoria visited several towns

It’s been revealed that the wife and children of an infected Victorian, who visited to a number of towns in NSW, also have covid.

It’s been reported that the wife and two children of an infected Victorian, who visited to a number of towns in NSW, also have covid and travelled with him.

The four freshly detected cases are part of the six new cases picked up in Victoria today.

Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton confirmed the family of four had travelled to NSW.

Authorities in NSW are hunting people who came into contact with the family who visited several locations on the state’s south coast.

NSW Health revealed overnight a confirmed case travelled from Melbourne to Jervis Bay, Goulburn, Hyams Beach, and Vincentia while potentially infectious on 23 and 24 May.

The good news for NSW this morning is that zero new local cases have been detected.

However, there is concern about how far cases could have spread if the virus has already been passed on.

One concern for authorities is the low testing numbers in NSW, especially when compared to Victoria.

Victoria has seen massive numbers come forward. Yesterday 42,699 test results were received there, but in NSW the figure stood at just 9801 over the same time period.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

The situation has improved in NSW this morning with authorities revealing 21,551 tests had been received in the past 24 hours. However, that is still far lower than Victoria which saw over 50,000 tests in the same period.

Authorities have long made the case that widespread testing is the only way to pinpoint exactly how much of the virus is in the community — which is why they are always urging people with the slightest of symptoms to come forward.

The concern is that, with testing numbers so low, there could be cases out there that we don’t yet know about.

Adding to this concern, as outlined in yesterday’s Victorian press conference, is the ease with which the new strain in Australia is transmitting.

Victoria’s Testing Commander Jeroen Weimar said at least four of the state’s locally transmitted cases have come from “fleeting” contact between Victorians.

“What we’re seeing now is people are brushing past each other in a small shop, they are going to a display home, they are looking at photos in a Telstra shop,” he said.

“This is relatively speaking, relatively fleeting. They do not know each other’s names, and that is very different from what we have been before.

“This is stranger to stranger transmission.”

Case travelled to Jervis Bay, Goulburn

NSW Health revealed overnight a confirmed case of Covid-19 said they travelled from Melbourne to Jervis Bay, Goulburn, Hyams Beach, and Vincentia while potentially infectious on 23 and 24 May.

The person, who reported the onset of symptoms on 25 May and was tested yesterday, drove back to Melbourne on 24 May.

That was three days before Victoria’s lockdown took effect on May 27.

Green Patch campground, Booderee National Park.

The person visited Coles at Vincentia Shopping Village on Sunday, May 23 between 10am-10:20am, the Cooked Goose Cafe in Hyams Beach between 10am-12pm on that same day, and the Green Patch campground at Booderee National Park for most of Sunday, May 23.

The following day they remained at the campground until 9am, the Shell Coles Express Big Merino in Goulburn between 10am-11:30am, and Trapper’s Bakery in Goulburn between 10:30am-11:30am.

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The infected Covid patient visited Goulburn, including the Shell Coles Express Big Merino.

NSW Health has advised anyone who was at those venues at the times listed to immediately call 1800 943 553, get tested and isolate until you receive further information from NSW Health.

The department said that the list of NSW venues is likely to be updated.

“NSW Health is in the process of increasing testing capacity in the area, including a drive-through pop-up COVID-19 testing clinic in Huskisson,” the department said.

“Anyone who lives in Jervis Bay, or has visited Jervis Bay since 22 May, is asked to be especially vigilant for the onset of even the mildest of cold-like symptoms, and is urged to come forward for testing immediately if they appear, then isolate until a negative result is received. Additionally, anyone who has recently had symptoms should also get tested.”

A woman is tested for Covid-19 at a drive-through clinic.

Victoria’s Department of Health listed additional places in the state where the infected person visited upon their return.

Those sites included BP Truckstop at Glenrowan on May 24 between 4pm-4:30pm, BP Euroa on May 24 between 5pm-6pm, BP Truckstop Wallen on May 24 between 6:45pm-7:15pm, GTA Consultants in Collins Street on May 25 between 8:30am-6:30pm, Officeworks QV Centre between 10:40am-11:10am, Coles Spencer St Outlet on May 30 between 12pm-1pm, male public toilets on Bourke Street between 1pm-2:30pm

If you have been to any of those exposure sites within the specified times, the Victorian Government is urging you to isolate, get a test and stay isolated until you receive a negative result.

“Victorian health authorities are working closely with NSW Health to test, trace and isolate the contacts of a newly-identified positive case,” the department said.

If you need to find your nearest Covid-19 testing location click here.