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Ms Berejiklian said close to 300 testing facilities would be open over Christmas, and urged people not to delay being tested if they began to notice even mild symptoms. Do not wait until the 27th, because if people wait you could unintentionally be infecting people and ruining Christmas for those closest to you, she said. We are concerned about people who may have been infectious who went to work in the CBD and then have passed it on to other people in the CBD.
Dr Chant said NSW Health is investigating the source of six cases, including the two announced on Thursday.
One of the new coronavirus cases does not live in the Northern Beaches and works in the CBD. “Patrons that were at the sports bar during this time for more than one hour are close contacts, they need to get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days regardless of the result,” Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said. “Anyone who was there for less than one hour needs to get tested immediately and to self-isolate pending a negative result, she said. “And people who attended other areas of the Paragon Hotel during this time should monitor for symptoms.” Another of today’s new cases under investigation is an office worker in the vicinity of Hunter and Bligh Streets in Sydney’s CBD.
Nine cases are locally acquired, and of these
Seven cases are linked to the Avalon cluster
The source of two cases is under investigation
Nine cases were acquired overseas and are in hotel quarantine.
NSW Health is treating 109 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.
One of the cases reported today attended the Paragon Hotel Sports Bar near Circular Quay in Loftus Street, Sydney, between 12.45pm and 3.30pm on Wednesday 16 December.
A second person identified this morning, and who will appear in tomorrow’s numbers, also attended the Paragon Hotel Sports Bar at the same time. Two new cases have now been identified at this venue, which now has three cases associated with it.
NSW Health alerts issued to growing list of venues across Sydney 22/12/2020|2min
Sydney’s CBD, North Shore and Inner West remain on high alert as more venues across the city are added to the list of sites which have been exposed to the coronavirus.
New South Wales Health issued alerts for several new venues overnight, urging anyone who visited them on specific dates to immediately come forward for testing and self-isolate until their results are received.
This includes people who attended the Cortex Gym in Alexandria on December 15 and the Paragon Hotel Sports Bar on December 16.
The state reported just 15 new cases on Monday after more than 38,000 tests were conducted – all of which were directly linked to the Avalon cluster.