Sydney cluster spreads to Victoria with returned traveller testing positive

Sydney’s virus cluster spreads to Victoria after a 15-year-old girl returning from the northern beaches tested positive to COVID-19.

Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley says Victoria’s newly acquired case of coronavirus is a 15-year-old girl from Moonee Valley who had visited “several of the high risk exposure sites” in Sydney and is now isolating at home.

Despite this new case, Victoria has continued its streak, recording it’s 52nd day without community transmission following over 15,500 tests conducted yesterday.

All close contacts of the person’s family have been interviewed and the Victorian department of health are following up any secondary close contacts and given this person and their family have been isolating at home there are no known exposure sites in Victoria.

Yesterday there were 0 new local cases and no lives lost. 1 new case was acquired interstate, 2 international - these cases are in quarantine. 15,521 test results were received. If you have symptoms, get tested and stay home. https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco #COVID19Vic pic.twitter.com/m7VzFfS3BV

— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) December 21, 2020

He has urged anyone who has returned from the northern beaches area, greater Sydney or central coast to get tested and quarantine for 12 days as per the new restrictions.

“Anybody who arrives or is found from a red zone in Victoria will be immediately taken into the hotel quarantine system for the duration of their quarantine period,” Mr Foley said.

Mr Foley said there have been 17 people, including a family of five, who have been transferred to Victoria’s hotel quarantine program, after allegedly crossing into Victoria after the border restrictions came into effect.

“So, my message to anyone trying to enter Victoria from New South Wales is - don’t. You won’t get in, and if you do, you’ll be spending your time at Christmas and New Year in hotel quarantine,” Mr Foley said.

Mr Foley said Victoria’s 53 consecutive days with no coronavirus was “not a vaccine”, and that Victorians must be on high alert to ensure that people stay safe.

“This points out just how highly infectious this thing is and how easy it is to transmit around the country. That is why the borders are closed,” Mr Foley said.

Earlier, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the case had been acquired by a Victorian traveller in the northern beaches area of NSW.

Health authorities said the close contacts of the case were understood to be limited and contact tracing was underway.

“At this stage there are no exposure sites but if this changes we will provide further updates,” the DHHS said on Twitter.

“Anyone who has returned from the northern beaches area, greater Sydney or the Central Coast needs to get tested and quarantine for 14 days.”

The confirmation of the new case came just hours after Victoria slammed its with NSW shut.

The Hume Freeway at the NSW-Victorian border near Albury Wodonga on December 20. Picture: Simon Dallinger

Victoria Police have set up checkpoints along the Murray River and NSW border to ensure only people with permits or living in a border community are allowed to enter Victoria.

Anyone entering Victoria from Sydney or the NSW Central Coast must now do 14 days mandatory hotel quarantine.

Those travelling from the northern beaches area will not be allowed to enter Victoria.

Two other Victorian cases were recorded in returned international travellers in hotel quarantine.

Victoria hasn’t recorded a locally acquired case in 53 days. There are currently 11 active cases in the state, 10 which are in hotel quarantine.