Orange added to hotspot list as Western Sydney residents told to isolate

Sydney’s virus outbreak into regional NSW with a city in the state's central west added to the COVID hotspot list.

Sydney’s virus outbreak has spread 280km into regional NSW with the city of Orange, in the state's central west, added to the COVID hotspot list.

A close contact of an infected healthcare worker from western Sydney reported in Tuesday’s numbers tested positive for COVID-19, health authorities said.

NSW Health on Tuesday afternoon warned that person travelled through Orange on Saturday, December 19.

They attended Orange Health Service and all close contacts have been identified, have self-isolated and have undergone testing returning negative results.

However anyone who attended Orange Central Square Shopping Centre (227-239 Summer Street) on Saturday, December 19 between 4.05-4.15pm is considered “a casual contact who should monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately”.

“The person did not enter any stores or come into close contact with any individual during this time period,” NSW Health said.

Coronavirus testing is available at the Laverty Drive-through service at the Orange Showground from Tuesday afternoon, and at the Orange Hospital’s Fever Clinic from 10am on Wednesday.

Testing is also available at the Western Primary Health Network’s Respiratory Clinic at the Bloomfield Medical Centre on Forest Road on weekdays.

Investigations continue into how the healthcare worker, who was involved in the transfer of patients between hospitals, homes and care facilities, contracted the virus.

Western Sydney residents have been urged to come forward for testing, and dozens of venues have been sent into lockdown after the mysterious COVID-19 case was recorded overnight.

NSW recorded eight new positive cases, seven of those linked to the northern beaches cluster.

The eighth case was the healthcare worker who is being investigated by contact tracers as is their close contact.

The new results have sparked an urgent health alert in Blacktown.

Anyone who visited the BodyFit Gym on the following dates and times has been urged to get tested and immediately isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.

• Wednesday December 16: 7am to 8am
• Thursday December 17: 7am to 8am
• Friday December 18: 7am to 8am

“The case that is under investigation is a health care worker from western Sydney who was involved in the transfer of patients from the international airport,” Dr Chant said.

“This case has transported several patients but we have identified that they also have transferred positive COVID cases. We are obviously doing urgent genome sequencing to confirm that that is the source of their infection and those results will be available later today. “A close workplace contact of this health care worker has come back positive.”

Tuesday’s updated venues list also included another site in Paddington, The Alimentari Cafe at 2 Hopetoun Street.

Those who visited the cafe at the specified times must get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

• Thursday, December 16: 5.30am to 6pm
• Friday, December 18: 5.30am to 6pm
• Saturday, December 19: 5.30am to 6pm

A health worker at the pop-up COVID-19 testing clinic at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney's inner west. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

Supermarkets, gyms, beauty salons and cinemas were last night added to Sydney’s growing list of venues added to the NSW Health coronavirus alerts.

In another late night update on Monday, NSW Health added 30 venues across 14 suburbs visited by a confirmed case, including in Alexandria, Avalon Beach, Blacktown, Mona Vale, Narrabeen, Newport, Paddington, Sydney, Warriewood, Bayview, Gordon, Macquarie Park, Palm Beach and Berowra.

The following is the latest updates to the alerts list. For the full list, visit the NSW Health website.

Anyone who visited the following venues during the dates and times listed is considered a close contact and must get tested immediately.

NSW Health said they are also required to self-isolate for 14 days regardless of their test result. The venues include:

• Vortex Gym – Strength and Conditioning Class, 1 Bowden Street, Alexandria, on Tuesday December 15. This venue has been updated from casual to close contact;
• Avalon Beach RSL Club, 1 Bowling Green Lane, Avalon Beach, on Friday December 11 all day until close, Monday December 14 all day until close, Tuesday December 15 all day until close, Wednesday December 16 1pm until midnight and Wednesday December 16 opening time to 1pm. Anyone who attended on December 16 should get tested immediately and isolate pending a result;
• United Cinemas, 39 Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon Beach, on Tuesday December 15, 12pm to 2.15pm;
• BodyFit Gym, 27 Sackville St, Blacktown, 7am to 8am on Wednesday December 16, Thursday December 17 and Friday December 18;
• Park House Hotel, 2 Park St, Mona Vale, on Wednesday December 16 from 8.00pm to 10pm;
• Pilates KX, Shop 5/1 Mona Vale Rd Mona Vale, on Monday December 14 from 7pm to 9pm;
• The Boatshed Cafe & Bar, Lower Level 11 Narrabeen Street, Narrabeen, on Monday December 14 from 2pm to 3pm;
• Lovat Restaurant, 316-324 Barrenjoey Road, Newport, on Tuesday December 15 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Patrons sitting inside or staff working on the floor at the bar are close contacts and must get tested and isolate for 14 days even if a negative result is received. All other patrons are casual contacts who must get tested immediately and isolate pending a result;
• London Hotel, 85 Underwood St, Paddington, on Thursday December 17 from 8.15pm to 9.30pm;
• Paragon Hotel, Sports Bar, 1 Loftus St, Sydney, on Wednesday December 16 from 2.45pm to 3.30pm. Anyone who attended the Sports Bar during this time for more than one hour is considered a close contact and should get tested and isolate for 14 days even if they receive a negative result. Anyone who attended the Sports Bar during this time for less than one hour get tested immediately and isolate pending a negative result. People who attended other areas of the Paragon Hotel during this time, should monitor for symptoms, and isolate and get tested immediately if symptoms appear;
• Warriewood Headland Private Tennis Court, inside clubhouse and outside on courts on Monday December 14 from 9.30am to 12pm;
• United Cinemas Warriewood, 4 Vuko Place, Warriewood, on Tuesday December 15 from 12pm to 2.30pm.

Anyone who attended one of the following venues at the times specified is asked to immediately get tested and isolate until NSW Health provides further information. The venues include:

• The House Nail Salon, 24 Avalon Parade, Avalon, on Monday December 14 from 10.30am to 11.30am;
• Woolworths, 74 Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon Beach, on Tuesday December 15 from 7.00pm to 7.30pm;
• Rowland Reserve Dog Park, Pittwater Road, Bayview, from 4pm to 5pm on Wednesday December 16 and Thursday December 17;
• USA Nails, 788A Pacific Highway, Gordon, on Thursday December 17 from 12.30pm to 1.30pm;
• Lovat Restaurant, 316-324 Barrenjoey Road, Newport on Friday December 11 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm;
• Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, 16 Mitala St, Newport, on Wednesday December 16 from 5pm to 6pm;
• Shot Lab, 1/326-330 Barrenjoey Rd, Newport, on Tuesday December 15 from 11am to 12pm;
• Premier Academy League Under 8s, Macquarie University Soccer Fields, Macquarie Park, Sunday December 13 from 9am to 11am;
• Pronto Creative Foods, 1095 Barrenjoey Rd, Palm Beach, from 7.30am to 8.30am on Wednesday December 16 and Thursday December 17;
• Warriewood Square, 12 Jackson Road, Warriewood, Tuesday December 15 from 3.30p to-4.30pm, Wednesday December 16 from 11am to 12.15pm, Thursday December 17 from 11am to 3pm.

The The Boatshed Cafe & Bar in Narrabeen has been added to the alerts list.

Anyone who has attended any of the following venues should get tested immediately and isolate pending results. The venues include:

• The Anglers Rest, 216 Brooklyn Rd, Brooklyn, on Thursday December 17 from 5.30pm to 7.15pm;
• Paddington Alimentari, 2 Hopetoun St, Paddington, from 5.30am to 6pm on Thursday December 17, Friday December 18 and Saturday December 19;
• Art house Hotel, 275 Pitt St, Sydney, on Thursday December 17 from 11.15am to 12.15pm;
• McDonalds Restaurant, Warriewood Rd, Warriewood, on Thursday December 17 from 1.30pm to 2pm;
• Warriewood Square – Kmart, Rebel Sport, Woolworths, Aldi and Surf Dive N Ski, 12 Jackson Road, Warriewood, on Tuesday December 8 from 12.30pm to 2.15pm.

Anyone who attended either of the following venues at these times is a casual contact who should monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately and isolate if they appear:

• 1 Bligh St, Sydney, Thursday December 17 from 10.30am to 10.50am;
• Macquarie Shopping Centre, corner of Herring and Waterloo roads, Macquarie Park, on Monday December 13 from 11am to 1pm. This is a change of advice from test immediately and isolate to casual contact.

NSW Health has advised that Asquith Golf Course was no longer considered a risk and has been removed from the list of venues of concern.

Health authorities have urged anyone in NSW with even the mildest symptoms, such as headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat or runny nose, to come forward immediately for testing, then isolate until they receive a negative result.