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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Mostafa Rachwani and Melissa Davey (earlier)

NSW records seven cases and announces new restrictions – as it happened

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian leaves after addressing the media at a Covid update press conference in Sydney, Saturday, 2 January 2, 2021.
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian leaves after addressing the media at a press conference in Sydney. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

What we learned today, Saturday 2 January

And with that comes the end of today’s blog. Here is what happened today:

  • New South Wales recorded seven new cases today, as the premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced new restrictions, including making masks mandatory in indoor settings.
  • Victoria’s border to NSW is now firmly closed after it reported 12 new cases since yesterday, 10 of which were locally acquired. Genomic sequencing linked the new cases to the NSW outbreak.
  • Queensland has confirmed one new case of Covid-19, but is yet to announce further border restrictions in response to outbreaks in NSW and Victoria.
  • The ACT has put restrictions in place for people arriving from NSW. People from Sydney’s northern beaches, greater Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong will not be legally permitted to enter the ACT without a valid pass.
  • Tasmania moved to close its borders to anyone who has visited nine specific sites in Victoria.

As always, if you are planning interstate travel anytime soon, and are confused by the constantly changing rules, please check out our summarised border restrictions and list of hotspots.

Enjoy your Saturday night and thanks for reading!

Updated

Queenslanders who have been in Victoria on or since 21 December have been advised by authorities to get tested immediately and quarantine at home until they get their results.

The advice comes from the state’s chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, although there are still no changes to the state’s border restrictions.

Victoria’s own assessment of the situation is that the risk of spread is right across the state, not just in Melbourne, which is why they have imposed restrictions across their entire state.

This is very serious and we’re taking this action now, like we did with New South Wales. This will ensure we know of any positive cases really early and we can manage our response accordingly.

Young said one close contact of a Victorian case had been identified in the Mackay region as well as a casual contact on the Gold Coast.

Young advised Queenslanders in Victoria and NSW to consider coming home, and advised that both states were in a critical stage in their response to the outbreak.

Updated

The Northern Territory has recorded seven new cases, all among overseas arrivals and all in quarantine.

The new cases include five adults in their 20s and 30s, along with a baby, who arrived from India yesterday.

All the cases involve Australians returning home on repatriation flights in the past few days.

Updated

In very different news, an Australian pro surfer has been caught on camera rescuing a struggling swimmer.

Mickey Wright charged into the surf at a beach in Hawaii and saved a beachgoer struggling with the current and the waves.

He posted the footage to on Instagram with the simplest of captions: “Hold my beer.”

You can read more on the story (and watching the dramatic rescue) here:

Updated

Victoria has updated its exposure sites with added venues:

NSW Health names new Covid hotspots

NSW Health has updated its advice for venues of concern.

Anyone who has visited the following venue for any amount of time during the following periods should get tested immediately and self-isolate until further advice from NSW Health, regardless of result:

  • Berala, BWS, 15-16 Woodburn Rd, Berala, Thursday 24 December 12.45pm-9.15pm

Anyone who has visited the following venue for an hour or more during the following times should get tested immediately and self-isolate regardless of negative result:

  • Shellharbour, Coffee Club, Stockland Shellharbour, 211 Lake Entrance Rd, Shellharbour

Anyone who visited the following venues at the listed times should monitor for symptoms and if they occur, get tested immediately and self-isolate until a negative result is received:

  • Pagewood, Woolworths, Eastgardens Shopping Centre, 152 Bunnerong Rd, Pagewood, Wednesday 30 December, 6.30am-1.30pm, Friday 1 January, 7am-10am
  • Kogarah, Hariri Chickens, 140 Railway Parade, Kogarah, Thursday 31 December, 1.45pm-2pm
The BWS store at Berala in Sydney
The BWS store at Berala. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Updated

Indonesia has granted a distribution permit for a new breathalyser test that can potentially detect Covid-19 in minutes.

The test, called GeNose, was developed and trialed by the Gajah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta, and works similarly to an alcohol breathalyser test.

Patients would have to breathe into a tube, which would then be analysed for volatile organic compounds related to the coronavirus with an apparent accuracy rate of 93%.

Each test is estimated to only cost between US$1.06 and US$1.77 (IDR15,000 to IDR25,000), with results appearing in as fast as two minutes.

The development of the quicker, cheaper tests come at an opportune moment for Indonesia, with hopes that the tests will be available nationwide by the end of February and improve testing numbers in the country.

Updated

A former Coalition government adviser has won a $190,000 bushfire agency contract without a full tender.

In an exclusive story from my colleague Daniel Hurst, Richard Forbes, who was an adviser to the former deputy prime minister and Nationals leader Mark Vaile, is being paid to produce videos documenting the recovery of communities affected by the “black summer” bushfires.

The services are to be provided over a five-month period that started in late November and will end in April, at a cost of $189,000.

A contract notice posted on Christmas Eve said the deal was reached by limited tender because of “advantageous conditions arising only in the very short term, not routine procurements”.

You can read the full story here:

Updated

A new warning system is being implemented across Australia, in the hopes it will help save lives.

AAP has the story:

It’s hoped a new Australian Warning System will deliver more consistent safety messages and help save lives across the country.

The system uses a set of icons to show incidents on websites and apps that are supported by calls to action.

Emergency management minister David Littleproud says it delivers on the recommendations of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements.

The commission was established in response to the extreme bushfire season of 2019/20 in which the firefighting effort stretched across the country.

“In the past Australians had been relying on different warning systems for different hazard types that varied across jurisdictions,” Mr Littleproud said.

“The new warnings have come into effect for bushfires in all jurisdictions except for Western Australia, which will adopt it in the near future.

“Warnings for other hazards such as floods, cyclones and heatwaves will be phased in over time.”

The three warning levels are Advice (incident under way, no immediate danger), Watch and Act (conditions changing and heightened level of threat), and Emergency Warning (you may be in danger and need to take action immediately).

Mr Littleproud commended the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council for the system’s development.

Updated

Western Australia has recorded three new cases, but all of them are in hotel quarantine.

Acting premier and health minister, Roger Cook, said he was pleased with testing numbers, which increased from 827 yesterday to 2,179, and pointed out the state had now gone 266 days without community transmission.

266 days is an extraordinary fact, but it is a fact we cannot take for granted. It is a testament to the professionalism and hard work of so many people on the frontline, day in, day out, keeping us all safe from Covid-19. They deserve our respect and support for what they do.

Updated

An emergency bushfire warning has been issued to part of Red Gully in the shire of Gingin, north of Perth.

The warning is for people north of Marri Heights Road, south of Dandaragan-West Road and east of Cowalla Road.

The fire is considered a threat to lives and homes, with residents urged to leave now and find a safer place to stay.

The bushfire is currently moving fast in a westerly direction and is out of control and unpredictable.

The fire started near the intersection of Mogumber Road West, and Brand Highway in Red Gully, with a number of roads in the area closed.

Updated

The ACT has again recorded no new cases today, with only one active case in the capital:

AMA calls on people to watch SCG test on TV

The Australian Medical Association has issued another statement today, calling on the NSW government to reconsider its decision to allow crowds at the cricket.

AMA president Dr Omar Khorshid said the match had the potential to “supercharge” the spread of the virus.

This is a potential transmission site, as people queue at the ticket gates, at food and beverage stalls and use shared toilet facilities – on top of taking public transport from all parts of Sydney to gather in one central location.

The decision to hold the test match with spectators is at odds with the rest of NSW’s appropriate response to the latest outbreak.

Dr Korshid went on to welcome the government’s approach to limiting non-essential gatherings, and encouraging people to reduce their travel.

In this context, the decision to allow this sporting event to go ahead with a large crowd suggests that this event is important enough to justify the risk to the health of NSW people and all Australians.

Let’s put health first, and watch the Third Test on TV.

Updated

Now for a slight break in the coronavirus news, I’d like to share with you a great yarn, on a hiker who spent lockdown in a hobbit home.

Yes, that’s right, someone spent most of the this pandemic living like Bilbo Baggins.

You can read up on the story, and see some of the incredible photography, at the link here:

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of Riverina and Lower Western Forecast districts:

People in Broken Hill have also posted videos of the sudden storm:

The State Emergency Service is advising people to move their cars to cover, keep clear of creeks and storm drains, and to not walk, bike or drive through flood waters.

Tasmania closes border to nine sites in Victoria

Tasmania has moved to close its borders to anyone who has visited nine sites in Victoria.

Tasmanian health minister Sarah Courtney announced the closure, saying fears of a growing outbreak in Victoria sparked the border closure.

We will not hesitate to take further action if we need to to keep Tasmanians safe.

The new sites in Victoria include the Smile Buffalo Thai Restaurant, the Royal Brighton Yacht Club, the Sons of Mary Restaurant and the Village Century City.

Updated

Users on twitter are reporting hour long queues to get tested in Victoria:

It comes after Victoria recorded 10 new locally acquired cases today, while the list of exposure sites continues to grow and now includes a number of regional Victorian towns.

Have you been waiting along time to get tested? Shoot through an email at mostafa.rachwani@theguardian.com, or tweet me at @rachwani91, we want to hear your experiences.

NSW opposition leader, Jodi McKay, has called on the government to stop crowds attending the cricket.

McKay welcomed the decision to make face masks compulsory in some indoor venues, but questioned the logic behind allowing people to attend the cricket.

The fact is 24,000 people going to the cricket should not put the rest of NSW at risk. We are in a situation where we have unknown clusters, we have transmission and an increasing number of cases and having 24,000 people at the cricket is not the way that you manage the risk.

The decision to move down this path is the wrong decision and it is just going to cause trouble and I do not support the cricket proceeding with crowds.

Updated

Some good news out of South Australia, which has again recorded zero new cases today:

Updated

Good afternoon everyone, Mostafa Rachwani with you on this gloomy Saturday.

I’ll be taking over the blog after Melisssa expertly guided us through the morning. There’s still much to discuss, so lets dive in.

AMA welcomes NSW masks decision

The NSW branch of the Australian Medical Association has been calling on the state government to mandate masks. Following the announcement from the premier, Gladys Berejiklian, today that masks will be mandatory indoors, the AMA NSW president, Dr Danielle McMullen, issued this statement:

Making masks compulsory in indoor settings is a simple, yet effective means of reducing that risk. This is a crucial decision – particularly as more people will be returning to work after the holidays and trains and buses become increasingly crowded.

Masks create an effective barrier against aerosol droplets which transmit the disease. They protect you from other people and protect other people from you. But they are not failsafe.

We encourage all NSW residents to continue to practice good hand hygiene, maintain physical distance, and if you have any symptoms at all – please stay home.

The mandate will be implemented from midnight, but will not be enforced until Monday. Residents caught without a mask from Monday will face a $200 fine.

NSW health minister Brad Hazzard during a Covid-19 update press conference in Sydney, Saturday, 2 January, 2021.
NSW health minister Brad Hazzard during a Covid-19 update press conference in Sydney, Saturday, 2 January, 2021. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Updated

More venues added to NSW alert list

Anyone who visited Australian Motor Traders in Haberfield on 29 December between 4.30pm and 5pm, or Officeworks Punchbowl on 29 December between 3.45pm and 4.45pm should get tested immediately and self-isolate until receiving a negative result.

Anyone who visited the following venues at the listed times should monitor for symptoms and if they occur get tested immediately and self-isolate until you receive a negative result:

  • Westpoint Blacktown on Monday 28 December between 2.40pm and 3.20pm
  • El Jannah Blacktown on Monday 28 December between 3.20pm and 4pm
  • Service NSW, Blacktown Service Centre, on Wednesday 30 December between 12.15pm and 1pm
  • Hills Campus Hillsong Church on Tuesday 29 December between 8pm and 8.45pm

A number of testing clinics are open in western Sydney today, including the Merrylands Park drive-through clinic, cnr Burnett Street and Merrylands Rd, between 8am and 8pm. There are more than 350 Covid-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-to-protect-yourself-and-others/clinics or contact your GP.

NSW Health has 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.

Updated

Thanks to one of our readers, Karen, who has emailed me to say: “I just drove past the Casey Fields testing centre [in Melbourne’s south-east] and the signs say it is closed due to high demand. Hopefully, people keep returning to try to get tested rather than doing nothing.”

In the press conference earlier today, the Victorian testing manager, Jeroen Weimar, said anyone with symptoms who could not get tested due to long lines or being turned away should isolate at home until they could get tested.

Updated

Queensland has confirmed one new case of Covid-19, but is yet to announce further border restrictions in response to outbreaks in NSW and Victoria. The case confirmed on Saturday was acquired overseas and the state has maintained its streak of no community transmission.

AAP reports: On Friday, a second case of the South African variant of Covid-19 was confirmed in a recently returned overseas traveller. The chief health officer, Jeannette Young, said the man in his 50s had travelled from South Africa, the UK and Qatar, and was currently in hospital.

The diagnosis follows a Sunshine Coast woman testing positive to Australia’s first case of the South African variant earlier this week. Young is closely monitoring the NSW cluster and the new Victorian cases.

“While we are not changing any restrictions to New South Wales and Victoria at this stage, as we’ve seen, things can change really quickly with this virus, so I continue to urge Queenslanders travelling to these states to reassess their plans – if it is not necessary, then consider staying here,” she said in a statement on Friday.

“The situation in Victoria and NSW is still very concerning. Queensland is in a good position right now because we acted quickly to declare greater Sydney a hotspot.” The border is closed to anyone who has been in the Covid-declared hotspots of greater Sydney and surrounding areas in the past 14 days.

Border declaration passes are also needed for travellers who have visited NSW since 11 December. Victoria reported 10 new cases of Covid-19 community transmission on Saturday and NSW continues to try to stem outbreaks in Sydney’s west and the northern beaches.

Updated

The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, gave no indication the third Test between Australia and India would be moved from the SCG during her daily press briefing on Saturday. “This is an example where the NSW government strategy is to keep jobs, to keep community morale and wellbeing while making sure we are Covid-safe,” Berejiklian said.

The five-day event is scheduled to begin on Thursday with attendance at no more than 50% capacity. Further Covid-safe compliance checks will be completed on Saturday afternoon.

You can read the full story by my colleagues over in sport here:

Updated

Blog reader Hugh is from Western Australia but is currently in Victoria, and said he is experiencing a delay in receiving his Covid-19 test result. He says:

It isn’t just about the wait to get a test – it’s also about the wait for results. I got tested on Thursday at lunch time at Tyabb by Peninsula Health, because I had developed cold symptoms. It’s been around 48 hours and no results, despite that day only having 13,000 tests. I’m travelling from Western Australia so I’m not sure if there are any issues with my details being a non-Victorian.

I’ve been trying to call up the results DOH testing results hotline to ask for either my results or to check my details if there is a delay. Not only is the helpline closed until Monday but it also says they will not have results until after five days! I’m isolating but I can’t apply for a G2G pass home until my results come back.

Thanks for doing the right thing Hugh, and here’s hoping you get results soon so you can begin the process of going home.

Updated

Opposition health spokesman Chris Bowen has again taken aim at the federal government for what he says is a far too slow vaccine rollout.

Meanwhile, an interesting point from Sydney epidemiologist Professor Mary-Louise McLaws:

In the meantime, I have written a couple of vaccine explainers, which you can find here:

And:

Updated

Reader Lisa has contacted me to say she is relieved masks are being made mandatory for greater Sydney including the NSW Central Coast. She says it will make life easier for those already regularly wearing them:

I’ve had a couple of not very comfortable encounters with people here. We were criticised by an older lady as we walked past her who muttered under her breath. My sister-in-law has been called a ‘sheeple’ by someone just for wearing a mask in the shops. The majority of people haven’t been critical to that extent, but we’ve had some very odd looks. There’s very little uptake of masks here, and it’s good to have a clearer rule in place now.

Updated

So that was an interesting and contrasting couple of press conferences this morning. We had the Victorian health minister, Martin Foley, saying he made “no apologies” for tough border restrictions with NSW and for introducing measures such as a swift mask mandate introduced on New Year’s Eve, saying Victorians have gone through too much to risk another uncontained outbreak. He also reiterated that the Victorian cases originated from NSW.

Meanwhile the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, spoke several times about the importance of the economy. Only the northern part of the northern beaches remains in lockdown, masks will be introduced in some indoor settings from midnight and made mandatory in those settings from Monday. But holding events such as the cricket and fireworks “creates jobs”, she said, adding a balance must be struck between keeping the economy open and public health.

Updated

Police have issued a very short statement about the two people the Victorian health minister, Martin Foley, referred to in the press conference as having “absconded” from public health officers after attempting to enter the state from NSW. Victoria police says:

A man and woman that absconded from Melbourne airport have been located in NSW this morning. Victoria police and DHHS [Department of Health and Human Services] will jointly investigate all circumstances surrounding the incident and enforcement actions will be taken.

Updated

Phew. Thanks for bearing with me [and thanks to subeditor Susan McDonald for cleaning up my typos, sorry] as I tried to keep up with those press conferences this morning.

In the meantime, a few more Victorian readers have emailed me with updates about testing sites.

Jamie says: “My partner’s been in the Covid test drive-thru queue at Albury Wodonga Health’s Wodonga campus on the border since 8.15am. But the helpful traffic controllers have been handing out bottled water to those waiting to be tested.”

Marney says: “Just letting you know we returned to Melbourne after an 11-hour drive from NSW yesterday. We tried to do the right thing and get Covid tested today. We got up early and were turned away from the Heidelberg testing facility before 9am as they were full and were worried about traffic. We then drove to Greensborough for testing but were told we had to wait eight hours in the line which was huge. We turned around and decided to go home.”

And Sally says: “Just wanted to let you know, I just walked past the testing site on Abbotsford St in North/West Melbourne, and there is no one lining up, it’s open and super quiet. Just thought Guardian readers might need to know a place where they won’t have to wait at all. Lots of parking around there too and it’s wheelchair accessible.”

Thanks for the updates blog readers.

Updated

NSW press conference recap

Seven new cases of community transmission were announced.

From midnight tonight, the southern zone of the northern beaches will be subject to the same restrictions as greater Sydney, as the risk has reduced there.

Restrictions for the northern zone of the northern beaches remain the same, with stay at home orders in place until 9 January 2021, including:

  • No visitors to the home.
  • Five northern zone residents can gather outdoors (not at homes) for exercise and recreation, from within the same zone.
  • Non-essential businesses remain closed.

Given the general risk in greater Sydney, new measures have been introduced to reduce virus risk “while maintaining economic activity”, the premier said.

The following measures for greater Sydney (including Wollongong, Central Coast and Blue Mountains) are effective from midnight tonight:

  • Face masks will be mandatory in the following indoor settings: shopping (retail, supermarkets and shopping centres), public/shared transport, indoor entertainment (including cinemas and theatres), places of worship, hair and beauty premises.
  • Face masks will also be mandatory for all staff in hospitality venues and casinos and for patrons using gaming services. Compliance will start from Monday, 4 January 2021 with $200 on-the-spot fines for individuals for non-compliance. Children under 12 are exempt but are encouraged to wear masks where practicable.
  • Gym classes reduced to 30 people.
  • Places of worship and religious services limited to one person per 4 square metres up to a maximum of 100 people per separate area.
  • Weddings and funerals limited to one person per 4 square metres up to a maximum of 100 people.
  • Outdoor performances and protests reduced to 500 people.
  • Controlled outdoor gatherings (seated, ticketed, enclosed) reduced to 2,000 people unless an exemption is granted. An exemption has been granted for the Sydney cricket Test.
  • Nightclubs not permitted.

People are still encouraged to limit non-essential gatherings and reduce their mobility where possible to further minimise the risk of transmission in the community. While these measures do not apply to areas outside greater Sydney (including Wollongong, Central Coast and Blue Mountains), NSW Health has urged all residents and visitors across the state to practise Covid-safe behaviours and get tested even if symptoms are mild.

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian and health minister Brad Hazzard have announced new Covid rules for greater Sydney
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian and health minister Brad Hazzard have announced new Covid rules for greater Sydney. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Updated

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant says health authorities are expecting genomic sequencing results tomorrow.

We think there are two possibilities and we do not like to speculate. The two strains we have are the overseas strain associated with the transport officer, and the strain associated with the Avalon cluster, where the source of that infection has yet to be determined.

Updated

The NSW press conference has been halted by a helicopter, from the sounds of it, flying overhead. So I will use this time to say there have been updates to potential transmission risks in NSW, including at the BWS Berala on Woodburn Road between Tuesday 22 December and Thursday 31 December.

Anyone who attended at any of the exposure dates and times listed on the NSW government website should get tested immediately and self-isolate until you receive a negative result. You should continue to monitor for symptoms and if any symptoms occur, get tested again.

NSW Health also continues to call on anyone who attended The Swallowed Anchor at 156/160 Crown St, Wollongong NSW, at any time of the day on Saturday 19 December, to get tested immediately and self-isolate until they receive further advice from NSW Health. This venue was visited by confirmed cases of Covid-19 on this date.

Updated

Berejiklian says some people might disagree with NSW continuing to hold the fireworks, which took place on New Year’s Eve, and the upcoming cricket test in Sydney. She says those events create jobs.

We appreciate what people might say about us continuing to hold those events, but also consider the thousands of jobs it keeps, consider the sense of normality it gives us.

I recall some people were very upset when they heard we were continuing with the fireworks display, but after the event most of us felt a sense of relief there was something we could look forward to and something we could find a sense of normality through.

So I appreciate all those issues people raise ... They are issues our health experts think about, and what is important for us is making sure there is the right balance. But can I say that it really comes down to personal responsibility as well.

Although masks are mandatory from midnight in NSW, this is only applicable in certain indoor settings so will not apply to the cricket since that’s at the SCG. But people attending the cricket will be encouraged to mask up. They will, however, be mandated to wear masks on public transport on their way to the event.

Gladys Berejiklian answers questions at today’s Covid briefing
Gladys Berejiklian answers questions at today’s Covid briefing. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Updated

NSW premier says she will not burden citizens more than needed

Berejiklian continues:

We don’t want to impose a restrictions or burden any citizen a day longer than we need to. So once we have confidence that community transmission is where we would like to see it, we will go back to what we had prior to those restrictions coming into place. I want to make that very clear.

We would never impose anything on our citizens unless we thought it was necessary, and we have learned a lot. We don’t want to restrict business activity or jobs or economic activity. We want to be in that state where we are encouraging people to work, to go about their daily business, although in a Covid-safe way, to allow us to manage the virus.

I would be the last person to pretend this is a perfect science. But what we do know is that New South Wales has proven to be one of the best places anywhere on the planet in relation to contact tracing, in relation to the health advice we have been given.

The strategy very much in New South Wales is not to impose any burden on our citizens unless it is absolutely necessary but also to make sure we keep jobs and the economy, mental health, wellbeing, and a sense of normality moving forward as well as, of course, controlling the virus. And that is the balance we have always tried to strike in New South Wales. I’m incredibly proud of that.

Updated

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian gives no indication the third cricket test between Australia and India will be moved from the SCG.

“This is an example where the NSW government strategy is to keep jobs, to keep community morale and wellbeing, while making sure we are Covid-safe,” Berejiklian says.

The five-day event is scheduled to begin on Thursday with attendance at 50% capacity. Further compliance checks will be completed today.

“In relation to the SCG and the cricket test, I want to confirm today that our health officials, police and event organisers will be doing a walk-through to go over the Covid safe plan,” Berejiklian said.

“Organisers and police are aware of compliances. We need to make sure they work. Today we will be going through the venue with the organisers and with police to make sure that that event is as safe as possible.”

She says outdoor events with more than 2,000 people need “tick-off, a specific exemption from health experts and officials”.

“That is why we have said today that the health experts, along with police and event organisers, will be doing a walk-through of the SCG to make sure that the Covid-safe plan is as tight as it needs to be,” she said.

“We don’t pretend that the settings we have put in place are entirely consistent or entirely consistent with what people would expect. But that is the nature of a pandemic. What we do know is what works. We have learned so much in the last 11 and a bit months. At I want to think the people of New South Wales who are continuing to trust in our advice, trust in what we’re doing.

Updated

Lockdown to remain in the northern part of the northern beaches until 9 January

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant is now speaking, and says of the seven new locally acquired cases to 8pm last night, five are from western Sydney and link to the Berala cluster. The original case, a man in his 40s, has led to an infection in five of his family members and a coworker.

One locally acquired case is a household contact of a previously reported case, a patient transport worker, and has been isolating for the infectious period. This is the second family member of the transport worker to test positive. Whole genome sequencing shows the infection was acquired from a patient and not part of the Avalon cluster. She says:

I just want to pause to reflect on some of the statistics, which goes into why we are really concerned about the northern part of the northern beaches and why we want that extra period of time to ensure that we do not miss any community transmission or generate further cases in that area.

If I just take you back to the week ending the 21 December, there were 67 cases reported in that week ending the 21 December from that part of the northern zone. That led to a population rate of 90 cases per 100,000 people because population density is not that high in that area ... compared to the southern zone where the rate was three per 100,000, and compared to the rest of greater Sydney which was 0.4 per 100,000.

It shows that northern part of the northern [beaches] bore the brunt of the seeding event and the residents [there] were most impacted. In the following week we had a further 19 cases and to 1 January another five.

It is with an abundance of caution we want to keep that lockdown until the 9 January, so please I hope that explains that. Thank you.

Dr Kerry Chant addresses media during a Covid briefing this morning
Dr Kerry Chant addresses media during a Covid briefing this morning. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Updated

Berejeklian adds that she will be going on leave from next week but will still receive the daily case numbers and will come back if she needs to. She has reiterated a few times during the press conference already the importance of the economy. She says;

We want people in NSW to be able to go about their business as much as possible but we need to reduce or mitigate the risks in certain settings where we know there are challenges.

The reason it is happening now is you want to make sure to give confidence to business and people holding down jobs that you can continue about your activity in NSW so long as you wear a mask in those indoor settings where there is a higher risk of transmission.”

Berejiklian has also announced further restrictions for NSW in terms of the numbers of people allowed at certain events. she says;

We are reducing gym classes back down to 30. Currently it is at 50. At nightclubs, no surprises, you cannot dance or sing. Weddings, funerals or places of worship, we are reducing to 100 at this point in time and are subject to the four square metre rule.

We are capping weddings, funerals and places of worship and we want to prevent any super spreading event. At performances and activities, we are reducing attendance to 500 from 1,000, and outdoor events down to 2,000.

Gladys Berejiklian addresses the media this morning
Gladys Berejiklian addresses the media this morning. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Updated

Masks compulsory from midnight tonight in certain indoor settings in NSW

Berejiklian says:

I want to stress today that NSW very proudly has always managed to balance the health risk must provide security and support to our citizens, plus providing confidence to business that they keep operating in NSW.

On that basis, we are keen to make sure economic activity continues but before I talk about some existing restrictions that we want to extend in greater Sydney, I would like to say thank you for the patient of the people in the northern beaches.

In the northern zone, you are officially part of greater Sydney. For all of you who live in the southern zone, you will now be treated as part of greater Sydney. As I foreshadowed yesterday and the day before, there is a greater risk at this stage of community transmission in parts of western Sydney, which we are obviously trying to get on top of than if they are in that southern section of the northern beaches.

From midnight, masks will be compulsory in certain indoor settings. We will be making sure that compliance or enforcement occurs from Monday so we will not fine you until Monday, the fine would be $200.

If you go to shopping centres, catching public transport, attending an entertainment venue like the cinema, you have to wear a mask. Places of worship, hair and beauty salons, gaming areas of establishments, staff and hospitality venues, you will have to wear a mask.

None of this is a surprise. We have already strongly wanted people to wear a mask but we do not want to restrict peoples ability to go about that business. But we want to increase economic activity and mask-wearing in these settings will ensure we have the confidence to do that.

Updated

Seven new cases have been identified in NSW

The premier Gladys Berejiklian starts the press conference by saying; “No matter where you are even with the mildest of symptoms, come forward and get tested.”

Of the new cases four are linked to a household of an exisiting case. One is a mystery case.

Thanks to blog reader David who just emailed me this update from Victoria:

There is a Covid testing station at the Holmesglen TAFE near Chadstone; the queue of traffic now stretches back to the west as far as Belgrave Road, over 1,500 metres. Lots of angry people honking horns and yelling, once the Chadstone Shopping Centre traffic ramps up in a couple of hours it will be a nightmare.

Be careful and stay safe out there everyone, it sounds like you’ll be in for a wait and for some locations it would be a good idea to bring water and snacks. You can see a list of testing sites here.

Site wait-times are available. To view these go to the testing sites map and click the site you want to visit. The following drive-through testing sites currently have estimated wait times of over 30 minutes: Roxburgh Park Youth and Recreation Centre (180 minutes), Western Health – Melbourne Showgrounds (drive through) (150 minutes), Monash Health – Cleeland St, Dandenong (120 minutes).

Before joining a queue it might be worth calling your GP, as they may perform the test, or refer you to a pathology provider for the test. But be sure to call first and check. You can also try a GP respiratory clinic, with a list of those here. Again, call ahead to ensure they are open.

You can alert me to any other news and updates through melissa.davey@theguardian.com

Updated

The health minister for Victoria Martin Foley ends the press conference by saying “so far we are staying ahead of this”. To recap the key points:

  • Victoria’s border to NSW is now firmly closed. Two people who attempted to come to Victoria from NSW will be fined $19,000 for breaching public health orders.
  • There are 29 total active cases in Victoria. That is an increase of 12 new cases since reported yesterday. This includes 10 locally acquired cases, all of which are linked to the Black Rock cluster. The other two new cases are returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
  • Genomic sequencing results have been received from the samples from the Victorian outbreak and it has established they are directly linked to the New South Wales cluster.
  • Foley said he would not weigh in on how NSW is handling the outbreak there, but that he made no apologies for the tough measures taken by Victoria including closing the border.

Meanwhile, the ACT has put restrictions in place for people arriving from NSW. People from Sydney’s northern beaches, greater Sydney, the central coast and Wollongong will not be legally permitted to enter the ACT without a valid pass.

It’s been quite a morning of news so far, thanks for joining me here for all of the latest. Next we are expecting the NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian to give an update at 11am.

Victorian restrictions are tough but fair, health minister says

Victorian health minister Martin Foley says there are good reasons for taking a tougher approach than NSW, and that he “can’t rule out further measures”. “If the science and the advice changes, then our response will change,” he says;

We are not here to give NSW a lecture on how to go about suppressing the virus. NSW has a view, because of the way in which the transmission chain of passing on the virus has occurred in NSW, it has been different. This time around it seems to have leapt out of hotel quarantine in NSW into the northern beaches, into the Croydon community and now down to Melbourne.

As a result of the learnings that we have gone through, we’ve taken the view that the responses we have put in place are proportionate and fair. Victorians have a lot at stake here.

Updated

“The genomic proof is in the pudding” that the virus came from NSW, Foley continues:

This cluster originated from the combined north shore [northern beaches] /Croydon outbreak. That is the science. It is up to both Victoria and New South Wales to work together to get on top of it.

It will take some time, but the harder and the quicker we go the quicker we will get on top of it. I don’t think Victorians would expect, given all that we’ve sacrificed last year, I don’t think Victorians would expect anything else from the government.

Victorians have learned more than most how wildly infectious and easily moved around the community this virus is. The fact that it has moved around at the time of the year when most people are moving around as well, it has hitched a ride from New South Wales to Black Rock. We’ve yet to establish exactly the vehicle that has done that but we have established the science that has had that happen.

Updated

Victoria health minister Martin Foley has been asked about calls from the Australian Medical Association NSW for NSW to do more to curb the spread, including mandating masks. Foley says he “is not here to criticise any other jurisdiction”. He adds;

The AMA’s position is up for the AMA and Victoria works closely with the AMA and we thank them for their advocacy. In regards to any criticisms of any jurisdictions, that’s a matter for the AMA. We continue to work very closely with our New South Wales colleagues.

This virus doesn’t recognise our annual festive holiday season. Sadly, it will maximise its spread through that. That’s why we had to take the tough measures of closing the border. That is why we’ve taken the tough measures of returning to last step arrangements of smaller private gatherings, wearing face masks and increasingly locking down hundreds or soon-to-be thousands of people in isolation and quarantine.

I don’t think Victorians take the view that keeping Victoria’s borders as tight as possible from the source of this cluster is a bad use of our time and effort. I want to thank those 900 Victorian police and SES volunteers who are out in all kinds of weather doing that hard work to keep Victorians safe.

Updated

Victoria’s Covid-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar says “As Victorians I think we’re on top of this” and there are “strong and clear connections” between all cases and close contacts are cooperating. But keep getting tested, he said.

There is additional testing capacity being put in place in the Lakes Entrance area and Bairnsdale, and some testing centres have extended opening hours. He says:

Let’s be clear, we have work to do to make sure we get to the full range and depth of this outbreak. I would not exclude the possibility that we have other transmission that we haven’t spotted.

The sooner we can identify those, the better we will be and we have work to do to run this through, but at this point in time we have made a strong start. The job for all of us within the health services, as well as across the state, is to maintain that momentum over the next few days.

Updated

The Smile Buffalo restaurant at Black Rock accounts for at least seven cases, people who were people in the restaurant on 21 December, Weimar says.

The other cases are all very close contacts of those individuals infected at that restaurant. Weimar says:

We have not yet seen any positive cases emerge out of the other exposure sites that we have listed on our website. But I stress we have a lot of testing still happening of people who were in those locations.

As I said, we have a large spatial spread now all the way to Lakes Entrance and just about every point in between. Just because a testing queue is a bit long, it doesn’t mean there is no reason to get tested and go to the beach instead. If you can’t get through the queues, I will ask you to isolate. I would therefore strongly urge people, as many people did this morning, they got out there early and settled in for a couple of hours’ wait before the test centre is open.

I appreciate that is not we want to do on a Saturday morning but as a community we really need to get this one to ground.

Updated

Victoria's outbreak came from NSW

People who have arrived in Victoria before the hard border closure will be watched closely, Weimar says.

We are already in contact with everybody who crossed the border in the last couple of days and we will continue to follow up with those individuals to ensure that they understand their isolation requirements and they understand they need to get tested.

We will be watching very closely for the test results to come through our systems to ensure that everyone has done the right thing.

He said the outbreak in Melbourne was definitely linked to the northern beaches cluster in NSW.

We have not yet identified the individual connection point between the New South Wales outbreak and ourselves. That work continues at this point. We have a number of individuals that we are obviously following up very closely to understand their travel patterns and their close contacts and secondary contact to establish that breach.

What I think at the end of the day is we are all, both in New South Wales and Victoria, dealing with one outbreak.

Updated

Weimar tells people to get the right exemptions “before coming anywhere near a border or anywhere near an aeroplane”. He says;

We continue to operate the border community bubble for all residents in the LGAs [local government areas] on either side of the Murray, they can travel freely across the border to ensure we protect the vital economic work, living, education and medical linkages that we have in place and there are exemptions for essential workers, medical staff and so on in place.

In addition I will highlight to anyone who is in New South Wales who has an important personal or special need to come back to Victoria, there is an exemption process in place. If you contact DHHS on the Covid-19 hotline or through the website you will be able to go through an exemption application process. I hasten to add every exemption will be reviewed by the Chief Health Officer or their delegate and this will take 24-48 hours and you will need to provide necessary evidence or documentation to demonstrate why you need to comeback to Victoria.”

He said 70 people were taken into hotel quarantine yesterday.

Meanwhile he encouraged Victorians going to testing sites to take supplies including water as there may be a long wait.

Updated

Head of Victoria’s contact tracing and response unit, Jeroen Weimar, says the Black Rock Cafe cluster is now at 18 cases and cases have spread “out across a significant geography”, including Leongatha.

A number of exposure sites are on the website and I ask that you keep a close eye on those exposure sites. It is imperative that anyone who has been to those sites during the identified dates on the website get tested. Exposure sites are around Lakes Entrance and Strathbogie, Cheltenham, Oakleigh, Brighton and Mentone, along with Leongatha.

There are likely to be exposures in Camberwell listed later on during the course of today. I highlight these locations because it shows the spread we have with the cluster.

Updated

Two people to be fined $19,000 for breaching public health orders

The Victorian health minister says the virus “does not respect” holidays and borders;

We are doing an extraordinary job in making sure that those people who show up unauthorised from interstate are dealt with.

I did want to make particular mention of two people who absconded from discussions with authorised officers yesterday who have now apparently returned to New South Wales. Upon the advice of the public health team, those people have breached numerous orders of the public health state of emergency in Victoria and they will each be fined at least $19,000 for their breaching of those arrangements.

This is a very serious matter. We have established the link between New South Wales’s cluster and the outbreak in Victoria. We are determined to get on top of it and I know that requires what appears to some people to be tough measures, but the virus does not respect state borders. The virus does not respect holiday periods.

Updated

Foley says he makes no apologies for border closure

Victoria’s health minister Martin Foley acknowledges disruptions at the border with NSW but says: “be clear - the border is closed for very good public health reasons”. He continues;

I want to also acknowledge that the border closure, based on public health advice, has caused significant disruption for returning travellers and regrettably will also cause disruption for our border communities.

As I think I indicated yesterday, we’ve been quite consistent for some time now, in fact for two weeks, that the deteriorating position in New South Wales was of significant concern and that the public health advice was likely to change very quickly in a rapidly changing public health environment.

We make no apologies for closing the border. It was based on public health advice. We intend to work with the cross-border commissioner to determine precisely what the bubble arrangements will be in the next few days, as I indicated yesterday. In regards to the implications for returning travellers, the border is now closed to returning travellers.

Updated

Victorian health minister Martin Foley is giving an update. He says currently there are 29 total active cases in Victoria. That is an increase of 12 new cases since reported yesterday. This includes 10 locally acquired cases, all of which are linked to the Black Rock cluster.

Two of them include the New South Wales cases authorities announced yesterday but which are now back in Melbourne and isolating.

Two of the case are in hotel quarantine, bringing the number to 12. One was a member of international aircrew and another was an international traveller.

Foley says: “Genomic sequencing results have been received from the samples from the Victorian outbreak and it has established they are directly linked to the New South Wales cluster. There has been a total of 3 million tests received, that is an increase of 18,337, and there are many thousands still working their way through the lab overnight”.

Updated

Reader Fiona has written in to say while the Singapore government hasn’t reopened transits through the airport, they have allowed Singapore Airlines to land flights from the UK, and UK originating passengers excluding Singapore citizens residents are not allowed to leave the aircraft before it then goes on to Australia.

The flying situation is nowhere near normal, she says: “There are only flights to Sydney, with one scheduled for Perth; Singapore [Airlines] used to fly to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide”.

“There are still a lot of Aussies impacted by the Singapore transit ban as very few people are allowed to do the full LHR-SIN-SYD flight,” she says. “I was one of the lucky ones who managed to fly that route on 28/12, after having my flights cancelled to Adelaide on the 27/12, and there were only six of us on the flight from London (more got on at Singapore to fill the passenger caps into Sydney).

“A transit solution has been developed, involving not leaving the aircraft at Changi Airport, for Sydney-only passengers, but normal transits still remain banned, with many not able to fly back to Australia.”

Updated

No link between three new Covid cases in western Sydney and northern beaches

NSW contact tracers are racing to contain coronavirus spread after three cases were recorded linked to western Sydney, AAP reports.

Two cases – a man in his 40s and a man in his 20s – are under investigation after 32,000 people came forward for testing in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday. The third case, a man in his 20s, is a close household contact of one of the other two men.

NSW Health expanded its list of exposure sites on Friday evening, saying anyone who visited BWS in Berala between 22 and 31 December must get tested immediately and isolate. Specific times of potential exposure on those dates can be found on the NSW Health website.

None of the three new cases are linked to the northern beaches hotspot, which now totals 146 after two previously recorded infections were linked. The state government is urging western Sydney residents from Greystanes, Auburn, Berala and Lidcombe with even the mildest of symptoms to get tested.

NSW Health has also put out an exposure alert for shoppers who visited menswear store Culture Kings in Sydney between 1pm and 2pm on Monday, 28 December. Anyone who was there during that window should get tested and self-isolate if they experience any symptoms.

Meanwhile, a mystery source that sparked the Croydon cluster and two cases in Wollongong has now been linked to the Avalon cluster, with the connection between the cases revealed by genetic testing. Patrons who dined at the Swallowed Anchor restaurant in Wollongong on 19 December have been urgently called after one case from Croydon and another from the local area both attended on that date.

Updated

10 new cases of Covid-19 community transmission recorded in Victoria on Friday

This just in:

The press conference will be held in about 15 minutes, I’ll bring you that here as it happens.

Updated

Australians stranded in the UK and Europe will once again be able to fly home from London via Singapore, Patrick Hatch from the Sydney Morning Herald reports, after the country lifted a ban on people transiting through Changi Airport from Britain.

Thanks to reader Karl, who emailed to say he was advised by NSW Health on 31 December that he and his family had attended a Covid-19 location; the Trovatino Cafe at Wareemba, NSW. Karl said this location is not listed on the NSW Health website some 40 hours later.

Yesterday, Karl contacted NSW Health and the contact tracing team to alert them to the delay but the incident remains undisclosed.

I have followed up with NSW Health this morning and will post their reply in this blog.

The text sent to Karl from NSW Health states: “A person who attended Trovatino Cafe on 24 December 2020 between 3.10pm and 4.10pm has tested positive for Covid-19. All people there at the same time are advised to get tested for Covid-19 as soon as possible and self-isolate until you have received a negative test result”.

US becomes first country to record 20m cases

These numbers are hard to fathom. A few hours ago, the US surpassed 20m Covid-19 cases. Looking at the figures from John Hopkins University as of now, there are 20,085,408m US cases and more than 83m cases worldwide.

Just two months ago, on 9 November, the US reported more than 10m cases. It’s hard to believe that has doubled in just two months.

Meanwhile, Jeeves Wijesuriya writes that coronavirus deniers are demanding proof of the pandemic in US hospitals, adding to the exhaustion of already overwhelmed health care staff.

Updated

New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian, health minister Brad Hazzard and state chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant will provide a Covid-19 update at the usual time of 11am today.

I’ll bring you news from that here.

Non-ACT residents require exemptions to travel from NSW Covid-19 areas

Anyone travelling to the ACT from a Covid-19 hotspot in NSW will now require an exemption. From AAP:

People from Sydney’s northern beaches, greater Sydney, the central coast and Wollongong will not be legally permitted to enter the ACT without a valid pass.

The updated health direction will come into effect from midday on Saturday and any non-compliance will result in penalties, the ACT government says.

It comes after NSW on Friday reported three new coronavirus community transmissions, all linked to western Sydney. Any travellers from these regions into the ACT for “extraordinary circumstances” are required to apply for an exemption at least three days prior to the planned entry but no more than 14 days ahead of time.

These changes do not affect current restrictions for ACT residents returning from Covid-19-declared areas, whereby until at least 6 January authorities must be notified followed by a mandatory quarantine for 14 days.

Updated

New exposure sites listed for Victoria

Last night the Victorian department of health updated the list of potential exposure sites.

Among the locations is a restaurant in Leongatha, in South Gippsland. A Covid case worked at the Coral Fish and Chips shop between 7.30am and 11.30am and between 4pm and 7.30pm on 27 December. If you visited during that date and time you must get tested immediately and quarantine until you receive a negative result.

Bunnings Mentone and Aldi Cheltenham have also been added to the list.

It looks like some Victorians are still struggling to find testing sites that are open, and are already waiting in queues this morning.

You can find a list of testing locations here: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/where-get-tested-covid-19

On Friday some clinics were forced to turn people away as they were at full capacity.

“Due to longer than usual wait times, our drive-through #COVID19 Screening Clinic at Frankston Hospital is no longer accepting vehicles,” Peninsula Health tweeted on Friday. People are arriving at testing sites early this morning to avoid the queues.

Updated

You can find a list of NSW hotspots and locations of concern here:

And for Victoria:

Updated

While hundreds of thousands of Australians overseas returned in 2020 due to the pandemic, and many are still struggling to return, Kate Guest has written about the expatriates who have decided to stay put. She writes:

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the foreign affairs department estimated there were about one million Australians living overseas at any given time.

This year, between March and October about 398,000 Australians forked out thousands of dollars and navigated strict border controls to return home, many for good. At least another 36,000 wanted to return, but were unable to do so.

Which means that most decided to stay where they were – and for some the events of 2020 crystallised exactly why.

Read her full piece by clicking the link below.

Updated

Hello and welcome

Good morning everyone,

I hope the new year is treating you well so far. I’ll be taking you through our daily coronavirus coverage into this afternoon.

We are expecting Victoria’s health minister, Martin Foley, and head of contact tracing, Jeroen Weimar, will hold a press conference at 9.45am this morning, so I’ll bring you the news from that as it happens.

In the meantime, here is an overview of where things stand:

  • On Friday, NSW recorded three new local cases, in western Sydney. All are mystery cases and investigations are ongoing. Authorities in NSW say the Croydon cluster in Sydney’s inner west is linked to the northern beaches. Victoria recorded five new cases, but these had already been revealed on Thursday. However, among today’s figures there will be a further two cases, in Victorian residents who visited the NSW south coast on holidays.
  • Meanwhile, there were lengthy queues at the NSW/Victoria border as people rushed to return to Victoria before the hard border closure, which is now in full effect. Authorities say anyone arriving at the border today will be turned away. Victorians returning home will be required to enter hotel quarantine for two weeks.

Thanks for joining us – if I miss anything feel free to email me melissa.davey@theguardian.com.

Updated

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