New infection sites flagged after Sydney's Northern Beaches coronavirus cluster grew to 83 cases on Monday

A further 15 coronavirus cases have been linked to the Northern Beaches cluster, down from the 30 new cases announced on Sunday.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian (left) and NSW Chief Medical Officer Kerry Chant (right).

Premier Gladys Berejiklian (left) and NSW Chief Medical Officer Kerry Chant (right). Source: AAP

Gyms, supermarkets and pubs are among the latest venues added to NSW Health's alert list as the state continues to battle a surge in coronavirus cases.

A rapidly developing outbreak in Sydney has grown by 15 new cases, down from 30 the previous day, as health authorities rush to figure out how the virus entered the community.

There are now at least 83 cases linked to the Northern Beaches cluster, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Monday, as residents of Greater Sydney and the Central Coast came under .

The new cases, all linked to the Northern Beaches cluster, were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday night as a record-breaking 38,000 people came forward for testing.

"Our continued hard effort is required to make sure that we continue that downward trend," Ms Berejiklian said on Monday. "But as we know in a pandemic, things can be volatile and can move quickly."

A number of confirmed cases visited locations outside of the Northern Beaches while infectious, NSW Chief Medical Officer Kerry Chant said, including the Turramurra Salon for Hair, which has had five cases linked to the location, and the Rose of Australia hotel in Erskineville, where two cases have been confirmed.

A full list of locations visited by confirmed cases is .
Ms Berejiklian said she was pleased with Monday's case numbers, but it was too early to tell whether NSW residents would be able to celebrate with their families on Christmas.

"Unfortunately, one day's results doesn't tell us it's a trend," she said. "If we see the trend continue in the next few days, obviously that will give us more confidence ... but it is very volatile, so we need to make sure that we leave it to the last possible moment before we make a decision."
Public health messaging at Dee Why in Sydney's northern beaches over the weekend.
Public health messaging at Dee Why in Sydney's northern beaches over the weekend. Source: AAP
Health authorities currently suspect the source of the outbreak could have been a woman from the United States after genome sequencing confirmed similarities between the strains of the virus, however, Dr Chant said it wasn't a "perfect match".

An "extensive investigation" is continuing to determine how the virus could have escaped quarantine to enter the community, which has included monitoring CCTV footage and the testing of any workers who came in contact with the woman. 

"This strain may well be present in other people that have come from the United States, so our investigations are broad spread," she said. 

Northern Beaches residents are subject to lockdown conditions until midnight on Wednesday, meaning people are only able to leave their home to exercise, shop for essential goods, attend education or work, or for caregiving or health reasons.
Throughout the wider Sydney, Blue Mountains and Central Coast regions, new health orders have limited home gatherings to 10 guests.

Restrictions for indoor venues and places of worship have reverted to four-square-metre physical distancing requirement and indoor gatherings must be capped at 300 people. Dancing, singing, and chanting has also been limited to five people in places of worship.

The orders will remain in force until the end of the Northern Beaches lockdown period on Wednesday night.

Health authorities have also "strongly recommended" all people in NSW wear a mask when in indoor areas, including shopping centres, supermarkets, public transport, healthcare facilities and aged care settings.

"If you're catching public transport, you need to be wearing a mask. If you're going grocery shopping or indoor shopping in a mall or anywhere else, you need to be wearing a mask," Ms Berejiklian said.

"Because Health still doesn't know the intermediary case and where the source in the community is, we have to be as vigilant as ever."

Meanwhile, , introducing permit systems and compulsory supervised quarantine.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the action taken by state and territory leaders was "understandable" after the Northern Beaches was declared a hotspot under the federal definition, but expressed his hope that they would not be required for long.

"The virus, as I have often reminded everyone, it does not go every anywhere, it is still there, it is a global pandemic, and as a result outbreaks will occur from time to time," he said on Monday.

"We do welcome the fact that we have seen a reduction in those new cases in that 24-hour period. That is no guarantee of tomorrow or the next day after that, but it is certainly much better than the alternative."

People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your jurisdiction's restrictions on gathering limits. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.

News and information is available in 63 languages at .

Please check the relevant guidelines for your state or territory: .


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5 min read
Published 21 December 2020 11:06am
Updated 22 December 2020 8:30am
By Maani Truu



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