Summary
- NSW recorded eight new cases of community transmission from 18,923 tests. Two are household contacts of a case linked to the Avalon cluster, but five are related to the Berala cluster. One is a household contact of a known source.
- Genomic testing on the Berala BWS cluster (now 13 cases) in western Sydney shows it is linked to the patient transport driver and not the Avalon cluster. Thousands of customers who may have been exposed at the BWS store between December 22 and December 31 are being urged to get tested and isolate for 14 days, no matter the result.
- Masks are now mandatory in Greater Sydney, on the Central Coast, and in the Blue Mountains and Wollongong. There is a $200 fine for those who don't comply.
- Victoria has recorded three new local cases from 22,477 tests, all of which are connected to the Black Rock cluster. The federal government is urging Victoria to help residents stranded in NSW get home as soon as possible after the Andrews government said only those with special circumstances would be allowed to return.
Watch LIVE: NSW acting Premier provides COVID-19 update
NSW acting Premier John Barilaro will provide a COVID-19 update at 11am AEDT alongside Health Minister Brad Hazzard, NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant and Acting Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon. Watch live below:
Latest updates
Zero locally acquired cases in NSW, seven in hotel quarantine
By Georgina Mitchell
There are zero new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in NSW today, with seven fresh cases in hotel quarantine.
Acting Premier John Barilaro said 22,275 tests were carried out in NSW to 8pm last night, after previously saying the testing number was about 19,000.
He said "testing is crucial".
"My plea today for those in Western Sydney, please come out in numbers," Mr Barilaro said.
He said two locally acquired cases were detected overnight, linked to the BWS Berala cluster in Sydney's west, which will be included in tomorrow's cases.
Acting premiers to give COVID-19 update from 11am AEDT
By Georgina Mitchell
It's not long now until the acting premiers of NSW and Victoria will hold press conferences to give updates on the COVID-19 situation in each state.
In NSW, we will have acting Premier John Barilaro, Minister for Health Brad Hazzard, Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant and Acting Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon giving an update from 11am AEDT.
One of the items on the agenda will likely be the mandatory mask rule for Greater Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast, and the Blue Mountains, which is being enforced from today with a $200 on-the-spot fine.
In Victoria, acting Premier Jacinta Allan will give an update at Southern Cross Station at 11.15am AEDT.
Victoria has already confirmed three new local cases in the last 24 hours, and one case in hotel quarantine, from a total of 32,468 tests.
NSW has not yet revealed the number of new cases, from about 19,000 tests carried out.
Sydney woman fined after 'refusing to isolate despite being a COVID close contact': police
By Georgina Mitchell
A NSW woman has been fined twice in three days after allegedly refusing to self-isolate despite being told she was a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19.
In a statement, NSW Police said the 27-year-old, from Cronulla in Sydney's south-east, was visited by police at a Byron Bay resort on December 31 after officers were notified "she was a close contact of a positive COVID case but was not self-isolating and had not been tested".
Shoppers wear masks in Sydney on Sunday.Credit:AP
Police gave the woman advice about self-isolation and where to get tested, and gave the woman personal protective equipment to use while travelling to get tested.
However, when police returned at 8pm on January 1, they allegedly found the woman was not isolating. She was given a $1000 fine.
At about 3.30pm on Sunday, officers returned again "after reports the woman was not self-isolating, instead swimming in the resort pool". She was given another $1000 fine.
Another two Sydney residents - a man and woman, both aged 32 - were fined $1000 each after leaving their Collaroy home on the northern beaches on January 2 to travel to Yamba for a holiday.
"Officers from Coffs/Clarence Police District spoke with the pair and determined they didn’t have a lawful excuse for leaving their home and, in doing so, had breached the Public Health (COVID-19 Northern Beaches) Order," police said in a statement.
The licensee of a wedding venue at Fairfield in Sydney's west was also fined $5000 after police attended at 9.30pm AEDT on Saturday night and found "a large group" of people.
In a statement, NSW Police said the operator of the venue, on Spencer Street in Fairfield, complied when he was told a number of guests would have to leave.
The 46-year-old operator attended Fairfield Police Station on Sunday afternoon and was given a $5000 fine for failing to comply with a noticed direction.
Earlier on Monday, NSW police minister David Elliott said the venue was estimated to have about 600 or 700 people, instead of about 350.
Waits of more than four hours at some Victorian testing sites
By Ashleigh McMillan
We’re keeping a close eye on how people are faring at Victorian testing sites this morning, and so far we’ve heard mixed reviews.
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) began updating its website with projected waiting times this morning.
The sites with the longest waits (as of 9.45am AEDT Monday) are Golfers Drive Chadstone (four hours and 40 minutes), Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in Albert Park (four hours), Darebin Arts Centre (more than three overs), Sandringham Hospital (180 minutes), Banyule Community Health in Greensborough (three hours) and the Wantirna Trash and Treasure Market (three hours).
Testing was suspended at the Albert Park drive-through testing centre because it hit capacity, but it has since reopened.
However, callers to 3AW reported that a drive-through testing centre in Werribee had only one car in line this morning.
The DHHS said there was just a 30-minute wait for the drive-through IPC Health-run sites at Wyndham Vale and at Wootten Road Reserve.
Lucy, a caller to 3AW Mornings said she was being warned of a “three- to four-hour wait” at Springers Leisure Centre at Keysborough.
“There was a sign that said it was temporarily suspended, but I’ve been able to get through. I’m just in for the long haul,” she said.
Victoria’s testing chief Jeroen Weimar said he expected most of the 60,000 people who have returned from NSW over the past couple of weeks would get tested by Wednesday.
He said the state should expect a 10 to 15 per cent uplift in testing capacity today compared with yesterday, after the state doubled its testing numbers over the weekend in comparison with previous weekends.
More than 200 sites will be open for testing today.
Sydney Test to proceed at SCG with 'some tweaks'
By Georgina Mitchell
Acting NSW Premier John Barilaro says he is confident this week's Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground will go ahead, and he is "working with the SCG today and Cricket Australia" to manage some "outstanding issues".
Mr Barilaro said in an interview on radio station 2GB that many events have been held at the SCG during the pandemic, and "we know we can do this and do it well".
Asked if someone from Berala - where there is a cluster of 13 people - could go to the SCG and potentially infect others, Mr Barilaro said: "We are concerned about that, we are concerned about those hotspot areas."
Mr Barilaro told the Today show that 150,000 patrons had gone through the SCG since the pandemic began without causing an outbreak.
"We are confident that the Test can proceed, but there may be some tweaks in the next 24 hours, 48 hours, in how we manage some outstanding issues at the SCG," he said.
"We could look at the crowd capacity. The zones are important, we have those eight zones where we're limiting - no mobility from zone to zone. We're still looking at additional services for transport.
"The real risk for us is entry and exit. If there's wet weather for instance, what happens then? Do people stay in their zones out in the weather, or are they going to try and congregate under shelter?
"They're the issues we're dealing with, and if it means tweaking a few things, we will."
NSW authorities are due to give an update on case numbers in the state at 11am AEDT.
Three new local coronavirus cases in Victoria
By Ashleigh McMillan
Victoria has recorded three new local cases of coronavirus today as the state's testing numbers shot up to more than 32,000 processed in a day.
The state's active cases are now at 36. There were 32,468 test results received.
One international traveller in hotel quarantine has tested positive.
What are the mask rules for greater Sydney and NSW?
By Georgina Mitchell
People in greater Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains can get a $200 on-the-spot fine from today if they don't wear a mask in certain indoor settings. Here's what you need to know:
- Masks are mandatory for shopping centres and supermarkets, indoor entertainment (including cinemas and theatres), on public/shared transport, and in waiting areas for public/shared transport
- They are also mandatory for places of worship, hair and beauty premises, and visiting an aged care facility
- Staff in hospitality venues and gaming areas in licensed premises (including casinos) must wear masks
- Patrons using gaming services in licensed venues must also wear masks
Women wear masks indoors at the State Library in Sydney on January 3.Credit:Brook Mitchell
There are several exemptions:
- Children under 12 are not required to wear a mask, but are encouraged to wear one if they can
- People who have a physical or mental illness or condition, or disability, that makes wearing a mask unsuitable (e.g. a skin condition, an intellectual disability, autism or trauma) do not have to wear a mask
People may remove their mask when they are eating or drinking, communicating with another person who is deaf or hard of hearing, or if their work makes wearing a face mask a risk to health and safety. This includes if clear enunciation or visibility of the mouth is essential in that workplace.
You can remove your mask if you are asked to for identity purposes, and "for the proper provision of goods or services", for example to get your beard trimmed at a barber.
For those without a mask, NSW Health has published a tutorial on how to make one.
More testing needed in NSW, acting Premier says
By Georgina Mitchell
Acting NSW Premier John Barilaro says he is confident the state is "in control" of the COVID-19 outbreak and heading in the right direction, but more people need to be tested.
"Yesterday there was only just a tad under 19,000 people that were tested ... we know weekends it does drop off a little," Mr Barilaro told the Today show.
"We need more people ... it's the testing that gives us the data and the success we've seen."
Mr Barilaro could not confirm there had been further community transmission in the last 24 hours, saying it would be announced at the usual 11am AEDT press conference.
Mr Barilaro said the cluster at Berala, related to a BWS liquor store, "has thrown up a few new issues".
He said on Christmas Eve alone, 1000 customers walked through the doors of the store, but "right now the data says we're still in control, we're on top of it".
"We know where the source is, we've got control over the outbreak," Mr Barilaro said.
Anyone who attended BWS Berala between December 22 and December 31 must get tested and isolate for 14 days, even if they receive a negative result.
Zero cases by mid-January an 'achievable' target for Victoria: health economist
By Ashleigh McMillan
A leading health economist says Victoria could well be back at zero coronavirus cases in just a couple of weeks, but suggestions the state will have no daily cases this week are premature.
The Grattan Institute's health program director Stephen Duckett said a target to get zero cases in Victoria by mid-January was "achievable". But will the state be at zero by this weekend? "Maybe not," he said.
Mr Duckett said long queues at testing centres across Victoria were ultimately because there were just "so many who came forward" to get tested after being in NSW.
"[People] responded to the call and lined up for hours in many cases and the testing capacity was overwhelmed. That's not a good sign," he told 3AW Breakfast.
"But, it is a good sign in a sense that people recognised the issue and are prepared to help, are prepared to go, 'well I might be at risk, I might be infectious, so I'm prepared to be tested.'
"There's only a handful of cases and we know the places they came from. Admittedly there's more and more [exposure sites] being found.
"Obviously, if [case numbers] get back into double digits, you've got to worry. But it's also about the mystery cases. Any mystery cases where we don't know where they came from, then that is something we should worry about."
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2021-01-03 23:56:00Z
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