NSW Health releases new COVID-19 hot spots in the Northern Beaches including Fitness First gym
By Louise Ayling For Daily Mail Australia
06:53 19 Dec 2020, updated 09:24 19 Dec 2020
- NSW Health has released four new venues linked to COVID-19 cluster in Sydney
- All the new locations are concentrated within the NSW Northern Beaches
- They include a diner, a cafe, a pub and a gym inside a shopping centre
- Close and casual contacts are urged to get tested and self isolate immediately
Another Sydney gym has been put on high alert after a positive coronavirus infection attended the fitness centre – with health authorities ordering visitors to isolate immediately.
NSW Health identified four new Northern Beaches locations on Saturday night that had been visited by a positive COVID-19 case.
Anyone who ate at the Sunset Diner at Avalon Beach on Friday December 11 from 6.30pm to 8pm is considered a close contact and must get tested immediately.
They will be required to remain in quarantine for 14 days regardless of their test result – meaning they will celebrate Christmas Day in isolation.
Cafe Relish at Avalon Beach, Fitness First Mona Vale and 4 Pines Newport have also been listed as danger zones linked to the COVID-19 cluster.
Patrons to the cafe on December 17 from 10.30am to 11.30am are considered a casual contact.
They have been ordered to go undergo screening and remain in quarantine until they receive a negative result.
A positive COVID-19 case visited Fitness First Mona Vale inside the Pittwater Shopping Centre three days within the past week.
Anyone who attended the facility on Sunday 13 December from 2pm-4pm, Monday 14 from 10.30am to 12.30pm and Wednesday 16 from 8.30pm to 10am is considered a casual contact.
Likewise for patrons to the 4 Pines pub at Newport on Tuesday 15 December from 6pm-10pm.
Residents who visited those venues at the relevant times should get tested immediately and self-isolate until NSW Health provides further information.
The four new locations joined a growing list of venues across the city linked to the COVID-19 outbreak from the northern beaches.
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Earlier on Saturday health authorities issued an alert for hundreds of gym-goers who attended Anytime Fitness in Avalon on December 6, 7, 8, 11 and 12.
Only 24 hours earlier authorities were working to trace potential cases linked to venues in the inner city, eastern suburbs, north shore and south Sydney.
Infected residents strayed beyond the northern beaches to visit locations in Woolloomooloo, Eveleigh, Turramurra, Rosebery, Cronulla and Bondi Junction.
The rapid movement of COVID-19 across the harbour city sparked NSW Health to urge anyone state-wide with symptoms to get tested.
The Northern Beaches outbreak grew to 38 cases on Saturday, prompting a hard lockdown for the 250,000 residents in the local area.
Residents from the Spit Bridge to Palm Beach have been told to restrict their movements and stay home from 5pm Saturday to midnight on Wednesday.
‘Essentially, we will be going back to the restrictions that were in place back in March, just for the Northern Beaches, for the local government area of the Northern Beaches,’ Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters.
‘But we want to stress it is OK to go out and exercise, it is OK to go essential shopping, do not panic buy, please.
‘We’re going to put that health order in place until midnight, Wednesday, and that is to give others a chance to have a better Christmas.’
That means residents on the Northern Beaches will only be permitted to leave their homes for essential purposes such as for work, compassionate grounds, exercise or to go shopping.
The outbreak in Sydney isn’t just affecting regulations in New South Wales.
Sydney Airport was flooded with packed with holidaymakers trying to flee the state on Friday before restrictions set in.
State and territory governments across Australia also rushed toimplement new safety rules to ensure the virus doesn’t spread beyond state lines.
Every state and territory in Australia has introduced mandatory 14-day quarantine for travellers from the Northern Beaches hotspot.
Holidaymakers wanting to visit Queensland from greater Sydney or the New South Wales Central Coast will need a permit from 1am on Saturday.
Visitors will also need to get swab tested on arrival and must stay in isolation until the all-clear is given.
The Victorian government has introduced a similar permit scheme to Queensland for anyone arriving from greater Sydney.
In Western Australia the state has implemented tougher rules, with anyone from New South Wales flying in required to undergo testing at the airport followed by 14 days of self isolation.
While the border remains open Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan said the outbreak may cause them to reevaluate that decision in the future.
The Northern Territory, ACT and Tasmania require all travellers from the Northern Beaches or other NSW hotspots to undergo mandatory quarantine.
Tasmania have gone one step further announcing that anyone coming from the Greater Sydney area will now also have to go into hotel quarantine for 14-days.
In the Northern Territory and the ACT, no changes have been made for visitors coming from the Greater Sydney area and travellers remain free cross the border.
