End of day summary
And with that comes the end of today’s blog. Here’s what happened today:
- NSW recorded seven new cases on Sunday, six traced to the northern beaches cluster, and one under investigation. Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged people to continue getting tested.
- No decision was made on NYE restrictions, with the premier saying she would provide an update on Monday.
- Western Australia recorded two new cases, both in hotel quarantine and related to overseas travel.
-
Total fire bans were declared for much of Victoria’s north-west and parts of the NSW Riverina as the states brace for scorching temperatures and dry winds.
- A Victorian man has been arrested after leaving hotel quarantine without permission. The man, who had returned from NSW, was apprehended by Victorian police outside a hotel near Tullamarine airport on Boxing Day.
- A woman who escaped hotel quarantine in Perth was apprehended by police in WA overnight.
If you are planning interstate travel over the coming Christmas break, please check out our summarised border restrictions and list of hotspots.
Please enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
Updated
Western Australia has reported two new positive cases in the state, both of whom are in hotel quarantine and related to overseas travel.
The two new cases bring WA’s total to 855
NSW hotspot venues added
NSW Health has updated its venues of concern. Authorities are urging anyone who attended the Belrose hotel, 5 Hughes Pde, Belrose, at any time in December, and developed symptoms at any time in December to come forward for testing and isolate until a negative result is received.
People who attended the following venues at the listed times are close contacts who must get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result:
- North Sydney: Cibo Café, 71 Walker St – Wednesday, 16 December, 11.30am‑12.45pm. Please note that this time has been updated to cover 11.30am to 12pm.
People who attended the following venues should get tested immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result:
- Casula: Priceline Pharmacy, Casula Mall, 1 Ingham Dr – Thursday, 24 December, 6.30pm-7pm
- Casula: Coles Casula Mall, 1 Ingham Dr – Thursday, 24 December, 7pm-7.30pm
- Casula: Radio Bombay Restaurant, Casula Mall, 1 Ingham Dr – Thursday, 24 December, 7.30pm-7.50pm
People who attended the following venue are casual contacts who should monitor for symptoms and if they appear, get tested immediately and isolate until a negative result is received:
- Casula: Casula Mall, 1 Ingham Dr – Thursday, 24 December, 6.30pm-8pm
Updated
Greg Norman has returned home after being admitted to hospital on Christmas with Covid-like symptoms.
The 65-year-old golfing great has said he’s tested negative to the virus, but said he was admitted to hospital to not jeopardise anybody’s health.
“On Wednesday, day four of incubation after being exposed, symptoms raised their ugly head — fever joint and muscle aches, especially in my back, and headaches,” he said in an earlier Instagram post.
“I’m home now after admitting myself to the ER … with symptoms very suspicious to what I have read about relating to COVID,” Norman said, in an updated Instagram post on Saturday.
Updated
Sticking with cricket for a bit, Cricket Australia is edging closer to a decision on where the third Test will be held, with officials saying its a “50-50 situation”.
Preparations have begun to prepare the MCG for the test, as Cricket Australia remains in negotiations with the NSW and Queensland governments.
You can read more on the story here:
Updated
The cricket is on, as per summer tradition, but that of course also means we get good banter.
Why are Aussies and Kiwis so good at banter? #AUSvIND #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/LL55SFOSVZ
— Abhijeet Singh (@edgedandout) December 27, 2020
If you’re watching, or vaguely interested, make sure to keep an eye on our rolling live blog:
An exemption is being made for northern beaches residents to use public outdoor playground equipment and natural swimming pools. From NSW Health:
Minister for Health Brad Hazzard signed an exemption to the Public Health (COVID-19 Northern Beaches) Order 2020 that will allow the residents to “enjoy outdoor exercise” according to a statement.
Under the exemption, a natural swimming pool is a pool that contains untreated water supplied directly to the pool from the ocean or other natural water source, and that does not have a circulation system.
The exemption is effective immediately but Adults from different households are reminded to maintain a social distance of 1.5m.
Updated
AstraZeneca’s chief has allayed fears the Oxford vaccine won’t be effective against the new variant strain of the coronavirus found in the UK.
Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca chief executive, told the Sunday Times more tests were needed to be sure, but hailed the discovery of what he called a “winning formula” to improve the vaccine’s efficacy.
The new, more contagious strain has now been reported in Spain, Sweden and Canada, but Soriot thinks that with some added tests, the Oxford vaccine should be able to remain effective against it.
You can read more on the vaccine at our story here:
Updated
Turning to the United States for a moment, an exponential surge in cases is gripping Los Angeles, with hospitals overwhelmed and desperate nurses warning “there’s no place to take care of you”.
Dr Robert Kim-Farley, a medical epidemiologist at UCLA, told the Guardian the virus had come to consume everything, like a tsunami.
We’ve moved from having waves to now having a viral tsunami occurring here in Los Angeles.
You can read more on the state of the virus in LA here:
Updated
The firefighters’ union in NSW has said that if the Covid outbreak in the northern beaches continues to grow, it may affect its members’ firefighting capacity.
The secretary of the Fire Brigades Employees Union, Leighton Drury, told the ABC that the fire station linked to the firefighter who tested positive today has been deep cleaned.
He said two other stations, in Beercroft and Dee Why, had also been deep cleaned as a precaution.
Although none of the close work contacts of the firefighter have tested positive, Drury said it was still a concern.
We obviously don’t have enough professional firefighters in NSW so any strain on the system in regard to having firefighters off and self-isolating, if it gets bad enough, will obviously affect our operational response.
Updated
NSW has reached a massive milestone, with over 4m Covid tests done since January 2020.
Thank you NSW! We have reached a major milestone, carrying out more than four million tests since January 2020.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) December 27, 2020
There are over 300 testing locations across NSW. To find your nearest clinic, visit: https://t.co/LmeATIQK4Z pic.twitter.com/HpoRZB9Oh5
Updated
Earlier today, Queensland announced no new Covid cases, from 1,241 tests.
Sunday, 27 December – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) December 26, 2020
• 0 new cases
• 11 active cases
• 1,241 total cases
• 1,461,787 tests
Sadly, six Queenslanders with COVID-19 have died. 1,217 patients have recovered.#covid19 pic.twitter.com/W1pMDTTFCj
Updated
Extreme fire warning for Mallee and Wimmera
An extreme fire warning has been issued for the Mallee and Wimmera districts in Victoria, as temperatures soar across the state.
A total fire ban has been issued for much of Victoria’s north-west, with Bureau of Metereology senior forecaster Callum Stuart saying many towns there had already hit 38C.
“With that heat and dry air coming down from the north, and some pretty strong northerly winds as well, we’re seeing extreme fire danger ratings,” he said.
Stuart urged campers along the Murray River to take heed of the warnings, especially considering the dangerous conditions.
The Country Fire Authority chief officer, Jason Heffernan, said the ban imposed strict rules on the use of farm machinery, chainsaws and lawnmowers, and he urged campers not to light campfires.
Updated
The AAP has a fascinating story on a long-term project to better understand how health issues develop over time:
Researchers are set to track a whole generation of Victorians in order to learn more about complex health issues like asthma, food allergies, obesity, autism and mental illness.
Over the next two years about 150,000 children born in the state as well as their parents will have the chance to the participate in the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute’s Generation Victoria, which launched on Sunday.
The project, starting at the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s hospital in Sunshine, will roll out to all Victorian birthing hospitals from 2021 to 2023.
The opt-in project will explore critical links between environment, genetics, physical characteristics and development milestones later in life.
All information obtained in the study will be de-identified and the highest privacy provisions enforced.
The GenV project, an Australian first, is a joint initiative between the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, the Royal Children’s hospital and the University of Melbourne.
The state’s innovation and medical research minister, Jaala Pulford, said the project would benefit Victorians for “generations to come”.
“It will allow our world-leading researchers to break new ground and make discoveries that will improve the quality of life for Victorians in every corner of the state,” Pulford said in a statement on Sunday.
The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute GenV director, Prof Melissa Wake, said the project would be open to every community in the state.
Updated
A watch and act alert has been issued for a grassfire at Robinvale in Victoria.
This grassfire is near the Robinvale rifle range and is travelling towards the Murray River.
Vic Emergency is urging people in the area to monitor changes, including increased wind speed, change in wind direction, smoke or poor visibility that indicated the situation is changing.
If you are away from home, it is not advised you return at this stage.
Updated
How well did you follow the news in 2020? Did you know there was a baboon breakout in a city in Australia? Can you guess the winning dish of the 2020 season of Junior Masterchef?
Well do I have a quiz for you:
I will not be sharing my own result but I clearly need to pay greater attention, but let us know how you went!
Good afternoon everyone, and a quick thank you to Luke, who expertly guided us through the morning’s news.
I’m Mostafa Rachwani and I will be taking you through the news this afternoon, on this glorious Sydney summer Sunday. There is still a heap going on, so let’s dive in.
Lunchtime summary
I’m going to hand over to my colleague Mostafa Rachwani.
Before I do, here are the headlines.
- NSW recorded seven new community transmission cases, six of which are linked to the Avalon cluster, which has grown to 122 infections. The seventh new case, also linked to the northern beaches, remains under investigation.
- The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, says no decision has yet been made about New Year’s Eve. She hopes to outline which rules will be in place tomorrow or on Tuesday.
- A Victorian man has been arrested after leaving hotel quarantine without permission. The man, who had returned from NSW, was apprehended by Victorian police outside a hotel near Tullamarine airport on Boxing Day.
- A woman who escaped hotel quarantine in Perth was apprehended by police in WA overnight.
Thanks for reading. Please stay with us for more updates throughout the day.
Updated
NSW Health has issued a statement clarifying the rules for outdoor gatherings.
It reads:
Councils all along the NSW coast, including greater Sydney and northern beaches, should be aware that there are no health orders stopping beaches being open for swimming, exercise or recreation.
Surf lifesaving availability is for councils to determine but it is considered usual arrangements should apply.
In the northern area of the northern beaches, only five people from this zone may gather for exercise or recreation.
In the southern zone of northern beaches, limits of 10 people from this zone apply. Physical distancing of 1.5 metres should be encouraged for non-household members. Limits apply in other areas and are on health web page.
For people outside the northern beaches, you should not enter the northern beaches unless you have a reasonable excuse. A reasonable excuse does not include exercise or recreation.
Updated
It’s still unclear whether the third Test will be held in Sydney.
But the boss of the Melbourne Cricket Club says the MCG is ready to host the clash between Australia and India if necessary.
Queensland’s closed border to Sydney has put the SCG’s hosting of the third Test – scheduled to begin on 7 January – in doubt, reports AAP.
If the border remains closed, Cricket Australia would need travel exemptions for hundreds of people, including players, coaches and team support staff, as well as broadcasters.
The Melbourne Cricket Club chief executive, Stuart Fox, asked staff to put January holidays on hold and said there are still several hurdles for the MCG to overcome.
But he is confident the famous ground will be ready to go if required – even if the Victorian government lifts the Covid-safe capacity of the venue beyond the current 30,000.
“You can’t just sit back and wait for it to all happen,” Fox told SEN.
“You just think a second pitch being prepared straight after a Boxing Day Test – that’s one of the fundamentals.
“The simple things are really challenging, so we’ve started our planning [around] how you do it if you do increase the number of people in the stadium and those sorts of things.
“We’re ready to go. It comes with a few challenges, but we’ll be right.”
Fox is in regular contact with interim the CA boss, Nick Hockley, and expects a decision from the national body within 48 hours.
Updated
Total fire ban in parts of Victoria and NSW
A total fire ban has been declared in much of Victoria’s north-west and parts of the NSW Riverina as the states brace for scorching temperatures and dry winds.
The Victorian Country Fire Authority says large parts of the state face a very high to extreme fire risk on Sunday, with the biggest potential danger for the north-west, where temperatures are set to peak at 41C.
The CFA chief officer, Jason Heffernan, says the conditions have made a total fire ban necessary for four districts until 11.59pm on Sunday.
“The Mallee, Wimmera, North Central and Northern Country [districts] will experience elevated dangerous fire conditions and, as a result, we have declared a total fire ban across the four districts,” Heffernan said in a statement.
He said the ban imposed strict rules on the use of farm machinery, chainsaws and lawnmowers and he urged campers not to light campfires.
“We would really urge people not to light one earlier in the night either or in other areas of Victoria,” he said.
Heffernan said campfires lit in recent days needed to be properly extinguished to avoid flare-ups.
Meanwhile, the NSW Rural Fire Service said a total fire ban was in place in southern and eastern Riverina.
A Total Fire Ban is in force today, Sunday 27 December for the Southern and Eastern Riverina areas due to forecast hot and windy weather. Discuss your bush fire survival plan and report any unattended fires to Triple Zero (000) immediately. #NSWRFShttps://t.co/R9tDns8ts6 pic.twitter.com/z6Bcq7cD7b
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 26, 2020
Updated
A man was arrested yesterday after escaping a hotel quarantine site near Melbourne airport.
He was arrested by four police officers outside the Holiday Inn hotel on Saturday afternoon, the Age reports.
The man told Melbourne radio station 3AW he didn’t believe he needed to be in the facility. He claimed he had returned from NSW in time to avoid compulsory hotel quarantine.
The man said he was a Victorian resident, but had been in NSW for nine months. He told the radio station he had escaped because of anxiety.
Leaving hotel quarantine without permission is punishable with a $19,000 fine. Victoria police said it was investigating the incident.
Updated
Just to recap, there were seven new cases overnight in NSW. They are all linked to the northern beaches, but only six have been traced to the Avalon cluster. The seventh case is under investigation.
The source of the other locally acquired case remains under investigation and contact tracing is underway. This person is a firefighter who lives on the Northern Beaches. NSW Health is working with Fire and Rescue NSW to ensure all contacts are identified and tested.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) December 27, 2020
Berejiklian: no decision on NYE yet
No word yet on plans for New Year’s Eve in Sydney.
Berejiklian:
As I said right at the beginning, we will be evaluating what New Year’s Eve looks like and I hope to be able to say something tomorrow or the day after to the community. But can I stress this, and Dr Chant stressed it as well: the more testing we have overnight the more we can make those decisions. If you have the mildest symptoms please get tested. Those tests will give us confidence to make decisions about New Year’s Eve, especially to the southern parts of northern beaches. We want to give positive news but we cannot do that unless we have the high rates of testing continue.
I will say something tomorrow or at the very latest the day after on what New Year’s Eve looks like and also what the first couple of weeks of January look like.
Updated
On another issue, Berejiklian is asked if she thinks a plebiscite on voluntary assisted dying would be the best way to deal with the issue.
“No, I don’t,” she replies.
Can the premier assure “this won’t happen again”?
Berejiklian:
I don’t think any government in any place on the planet can give an assurance that outbreaks won’t occur. In fact, I think I said consistently we should expect outbreaks. When you’re welcoming back thousands ofAustralians back home every week – and, you know, think of ourselves if we had a loved one that wanted to come home that was an Australian citizen – when you’re welcoming back people, Australians every week, you’re going to have to anticipate there’ll be outbreaks and, of course, I believe we have a very, very strong system in place.
Updated
Chant says NSW Health is treating 107 Covid cases, but she’s not aware of any in intensive care and most are being treated in non-acute out-of-hospital care.
Updated
Chant says authorities “may never find the exact source” of the Avalon cluster.
But what’s most important is we are not missing unrecognised chains of transmission in the community currently and that’s why it is equally as important for everyone across the state to be getting tested for Covid.
Updated
We’ve been hearing a bit about the new strain that has been detected in the UK.
Chant says:
The mutations reported in the UK strain are not present in the Avalon cluster strain. So it is of US origins and doesn’t have those changes that have been purported to be associated with increased transmissibility.
Chant and Berejiklian are getting a few questions about the fact that public health officials have not been able to determine the so-called “patient zero” of the Avalon cluster.
The premier says:
Of course, there are questions we can’t answer because I don’t know if anyone on the planet would be able to answer some of those questions, but if you look at the complex way in which our tracers have been able to get to the level of detail – being able to identify the timing that people were at a particular location, the likely chains of transmission – we have a lot of information at our fingertips which is allowing us to have confidence in the strategy that we have. But there are also questions we don’t have the answers to and I think that’s OK. We’re dealing with a very contagious disease.
Updated
There has also been a new case linked to the Rose of Australia Hotel, Erskineville, which will be reported in tomorrow’s numbers.
Chant also gives an update on the person who flew from Sydney to Griffith on 21 December – and was since confirmed as a positive case.
She says that all of the 28 passengers and one flight attendant have been contacted. So far 19 people have tested negative, while the remaining tests are still pending.
Updated
Chant says that anyone who was at the Belrose Hotel any time between noon and 6pm on 11 December should get a Covid test.
And if you had been to the Belrose Hotel any time in December, and have had even the slightest of symptoms, even if they have since subsided, you should also get a test.
Updated
Chant says the firefighter who tested positive has so far not transmitted the virus to his colleagues or family or other close contacts.
Updated
Chant: Avalon cluster grows to 122
The chief health officer, Kerry Chant, says the Avalon cluster now totals around 122 cases.
The case under investigation is a firefighter from the northern beaches with links to the Belrose Hotel, Chant says.
There were also four cases acquired from overseas detected.
Updated
The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, who has just stepped up for a press conference, says there were nearly 24,000 people tested over the past 24 hours.
She notes a number of the new cases were detected late in the isolation period – on day 10 or 11. She says this “demonstrates how important it is to stay in isolation the full 14 days if you have been asked to do so”.
Seven new Covid cases recorded in NSW
NSW has recorded seven cases of community transmission overnight.
All cases are linked to the northern beaches. Six have been traced to the Avalon cluster, while one case is under investigation.
Updated
Police say they were forced to close down several large illegal parties in the Byron Bay region yesterday.
In a statement, NSW police said two parties with about 300 people each at Main Beach and Belongil Beach were also closed down by police early this morning.
They said music equipment was seized and 73 parking fines were issued. “Police are liaising with National Parks and Wildlife regarding further infringements for organisers/attendees,” the statement said.
Another illegally organised party at the national park at Tyagarah was also shut down by police yesterday.
Updated
Here’s an update on the woman accused of fleeing hotel quarantine in Perth yesterday.
She has now been found by WA police, according to a statement reported by AAP.
The woman hadn’t completed mandatory 14-day quarantine after recently arriving from overseas when she left her accomodation on Saturday.
She was last seen walking on Adelaide Terrace in Perth about 10.20am.
West Australian police said in a statement in the early hours of this morning they have found her.
Her escape came as six new coronavirus cases emerged in hotel quarantine in WA on Saturday.
Four women and two men tested positive, with all cases related to overseas travel, WA’s Department of Health said.
That brought the number of active cases in the state to 13.
The total number of Covid-19 infections recorded in Western Australia is 854, with 832 people having recovered.
A total of 452 people visited coronavirus clinics in the state on Christmas Day.
Updated
Just a reminder we’ll be hearing from NSW about the latest Covid numbers in about one hour’s time.
Guardian Australia’s Mike Bowers captured this shot at Bawley Point on Saturday. There are thunderstorm warnings for NSW and Victoria over the weekend.
Updated
Be careful out there today.
MODERATE risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma forecast today for parts of Victoria.
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) December 26, 2020
High levels of pollen, combining with severe thunderstorm forecasts for Central, East Gippsland, North Central, North East, South West, West and South Gippsland.
More info: https://t.co/0dnCWm9Nk9 pic.twitter.com/V3okLtcyA3
Guardian Australia’s picture editor, Carly Earl, has been speaking on the ABC about our collection of 2020 photo essays, which you can see at the link below.
No cases in Victoria again today.
Yesterday there were 0 new local cases & 0 lives lost. 0 new cases were acquired interstate, 1 international. There are 10 active cases in quarantine or self-isolation. 5,848 test results were received. https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco #COVID19Vic pic.twitter.com/6DSyJtt5Pr
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) December 26, 2020
A strong majority of NSW voters support the legalisation of euthanasia, according to a poll conducted amid a new push for the state’s parliament to debate the issue.
Some 72% of NSW residents surveyed by the Australia Institute thinktank agreed voluntary assisted dying should be legal, compared with 13% who said it should not.
Support is even higher among Coalition voters: 74% are pro-euthanasia.
The 1,038 NSW residents were asked for their views between 8-16 December, reports AAP.
Updated
The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, will provide a Covid-19 update at 11am.
Part two of our 2020 quiz is here.
Updated
More Covid exposure sites added in NSW
NSW Health added a number of new potential exposure sites overnight.
Anyone who attended the following venues at the following times is considered a close contact, and must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of whether a negative result is received:
- Cibo Café: 71 Walker Street, North Sydney: Wednesday 16 December, noon – 12.45pm
Anyone who attended the following venues at the following times is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received:
- Anytime Fitness Belrose: Glenrose Shopping Centre, T24/56-58 Glen Street and, Glenrose Place, Belrose: Sunday 6 December, 9.30am – 11.30am, Monday 7 December, 9.30am – 11.30am
- P’nut Street Noodles Thai Restaurant, 415 Darling Street, Balmain: Wednesday 16 December, 6pm – 6.15pm
-
Belrose Hotel, 5 Hews Parade, Belrose: Friday 11 December, noon – 6pm
Anyone who attended this venue during December should monitor for symptoms and immediately get tested if they appear.
- Sir Reuben, 702 Darling Street, Rozelle: Sunday 20 December, 11am – 11.30am
- Zeus Street Greek, 187-189 Lyons Street, Drummoyne: Tuesday 22 December, 6pm – 6.15pm
- Balmain Post Office, 366b Darling Street, Balmain: Tuesday 22 December, 3.30pm – 4pm
Anyone who attended the following venue at the following times should monitor for symptoms and immediately get tested and isolate if they appear. If further symptoms appear, isolate and get tested again:
- Australian Red Cross Op Shop - Avalon Beach, 5/48 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach: Tuesday 15 December, 1pm – 2pm
- Ian Potter Children’s Wild Play Garden, Centennial Park, Centennial Park Off Grand Drive, Tuesday 22 December, 10am – 11.15am
Updated
Good morning, and welcome to the Australia news live blog for 27 December. I’m Luke Henriques-Gomes. Here are the headlines.
- Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations remain under a cloud as health authorities monitor whether the northern beaches Covid-19 outbreak has spread to the city’s central business district. NSW recorded nine new cases on Saturday.
- The stay-at-home order imposed on residents of Sydney’s northern beaches will been reinstated from today. Yesterday, police were called to Bronte to break up a beach party described as appalling by the health minister, Brad Hazzard
- Police in WA are searching for a 49-year-old woman who fled hotel quarantine about 10am yesterday.
- The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe thunderstorm warnings, including hail and damaging winds, for parts of Victoria and New South Wales from Saturday evening through to Monday.
If you want to get in touch, please send me an email to luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com or get in touch via Twitter @lukehgomes.
The Northern Beaches council mayor, Michael Regan, appeared on ABC News Breakfast earlier today.
The region is battling a Covid outbreak and tough stay-at-home remain in place there.
I think the government is doing the best they can and with the information they have got what’s becoming more increasingly prevalent around here is that because we have been split into two in our area, the people in the southern part of the northern beaches saying, “We have done nothing wrong, we’re clean”, so to speak, “So we should have able of the freedom it is as greater Sydney to those in the north”, which is understandable.
The biggest worry now is businesses and New Year’s Eve and what happens there. Locally they can’t open, they need to know by pretty much Monday, Tuesday, because they need to get stock in and what have you. It’s really big deal and a lot of angst going on. This is a time when people want to get together at home and roll on the celebrations. It’s challenging.
