NSW recorded seven locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, with an additional 12 cases in returned travellers in hotel quarantine. This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases in NSW to 4,758 since the beginning of the pandemic.

There were 31,864 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 32,010. NSW Health thanks the community for coming forward and urges people, especially those in western, south-western Sydney and Wollongong to continue to do so in the days ahead.

Of the 7 new locally acquired cases to 8pm last night:

• Five of today’s locally acquired cases are from western and south-western Sydney and linked to the Berala cluster. There is now a total of seven cases in this cluster – the original case, a man in his 40s, five of his family members and a co-worker.
• One locally acquired case is a household contact of a previously reported case, a patient transport worker, and had been isolating for their infectious period. This is the second family member of this patient transport worker to test positive, while a co-worker also previously tested positive. Whole genome sequencing reveals that their infection was acquired from returned travellers they transported.
• One locally acquired case is from inner south-western Sydney and their source of infection remains under investigation.
• In addition, 12 cases were acquired overseas and are in hotel quarantine.

NSW Health continues to urge people in western and south-western Sydney – especially those who live or work in Greystanes, Auburn, Lidcombe and Berala – to get tested if they have even the mildest of symptoms.

People are also urged to check the NSW Government website for details of venues of concern, which are updated regularly. This morning, new venues include Australian Motor Traders, Haberfield Road on Tuesday 29 December from 4.30pm to 5pm, and Officeworks Punchbowl, Canterbury Road, on Tuesday 29 December from 3.45pm to 4.45pm.

Anyone who visited these two venues during these periods of time should get tested immediately and self-isolate until you receive a negative result. You should then continue to monitor for symptoms and if any symptoms occur, get tested again.

There have been updates to potential transmission risks 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.

A full list of venues and public transport routes of concern throughout NSW, and the associated public health advice, is available from the NSW Government website at https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates. We urge people to check this list before they attend any gatherings or social events.

Testing clinics are open throughout the holiday break. 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 is treating 124 COVID-19 cases, none of whom are in intensive care. Most cases (99 per cent) are being treated in non-acute, out-of-hospital care, including returned travellers in the Special Health Accommodation.

Likely source of confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW

Note: Case counts reported for a particular day may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case review.
* notified from 8pm 31 December 2020 to 8pm 1 January 2021
** from 8pm 26 December 2020 to 8pm 1 January 2021

Returned travellers in hotel quarantine to date

Video update

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/press-conferences.aspx