Thousands in iso as western Sydney coronavirus cluster threatens NSW regions

Thousands of residents across Sydney’s west are locked in self-isolation as the Berala cluster expanded, with an 11-day infection period declared and new threats to regions.

Temperature checking at the Glenwood Gurdwara Sahib Sikh Temple for Amar Singh, his wife, Hasmukh Kaur, and their daughter Saroop Kaur. Picture: Jane Dempster

Thousands of residents across Sydney’s west are locked in self-isolation as the Berala cluster expanded, with an 11-day infection period declared for a major Woolworths store in the area and new threats to regional NSW, including Nyngan, Broken Hill and ­Orange.

Shoppers who visited the Berala Woolworths between December 20 and New Year’s Eve have been urged to present for testing and self-isolate until a negative result is received.

On Tuesday, NSW recorded four new locally acquired COVID-19 cases. An extra case, an 18-year-old man who travelled to several regional towns across a vast stretch of NSW, will be included in Wednesday’s total.

Health offices added restaurants, service stations and a holiday park in western NSW to a list of virus exposure sites after the Sydney man travelled thousands of kilometres while unknowingly infectious.

The young man has told health authorities he ate at the Gourmet Cribtin at Broken Hill on Saturday and at the Birdie Noshery & Drinking Establishment in ­Orange on Sunday. Anyone attending those venues at the time must get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.

The man also camped at the Nyngan Riverside Tourist Park on Saturday and Sunday, and anyone at the park then is urged to get tested and self-isolate.

John Barilaro, the Acting NSW Premier while Gladys Berejiklian is on leave, said the virus posed a “greater risk” to regional NSW. “This is a reminder of what can occur for people who are moving out of Sydney,” he said.

“We said clearly in the past, if you have any symptoms, if you are concerned, you should limit your mobility. You should limit travel to regional and rural NSW.”

Outside the biggest Sikh temple in Australia at Glenwood in Sydney’s northwest, the humid summer air is thick with worry.

“Complacency can be fatal,” said Mohit Kuma. “Obviously, the fear is that COVID could spread further into western Sydney.”

As masked worshippers gathered for an evening of prayer at Gurdwara Sahib Temple, it was obvious the growing COVID-19 cluster in western Sydney was on their minds.

“When the Crossroads outbreak happened, it felt like a Liver­pool issue,” said Amar Singh, as a hygiene officer temperature-tested Saroop Kaur, his giggling two-year-old daughter. “It’s affecting the whole of NSW now, and everyone in Sydney is taking it pretty seriously.”

Mr Singh’s wife, Hasmukh Kaur, agreed: “It was only a matter of time,” she said. “We just have to follow the advice and get through this.”

Meanwhile, Mr Singh, who is also the president of Sikh charity Turbans 4 Australia, said the Berala cluster had put extra strain on volunteers. “We were actually wrapping up in December, but now we are restocking because demand is on the rise and more people who can’t leave their homes because they are at risk are asking for help.”

For local cricket lovers there was more bad news. Sydneysiders from hotspot suburbs linked to the Berala cluster will be fined $1000 if they set foot at the SCG.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said Berala residents should stay away from the Test because of the risk of spreading COVID-19 at the event of 10,000 people. “You must not attend this Test. Ticket sales have gone in a way aimed at ensuring people from particular suburbs around Berala do not acquire tickets.”