South Australia’s police chief has strongly urged people to rethink travel plans to New South Wales as the state battles a coronavirus outbreak.
Key points:
- NSW identified a new COVID-19 cluster and 18 local cases on Wednesday
- SA authorities have warned new restrictions could be imposed at short notice
- Current travel restrictions require quarantine for travellers into SA from Greater Sydney
SA Police Commissioner and COVID-19 state coordinator Grant Stevens said anyone intending to travel to NSW should “very seriously consider whether that travel is essential”.
He also said South Australians already in NSW should consider returning to SA as soon as possible.
NSW recorded 18 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning.
“This situation is volatile and changing rapidly,” Commissioner Stevens said in a statement on Wednesday evening.
“South Australia Police and SA Health are monitoring closely the situation in New South Wales with an increased number of COVID-19 cases being reported today.”
A total of 18 locally acquired COVID-19 infections were diagnosed in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning.(ABC News: Hugh Sando)
NSW health authorities are bracing for an influx of new cases with the emergence of a new cluster of COVID-19 cases in Sydney’s inner-west.
Six cases have been diagnosed in the suburb of Croydon that have no established connection to other known cases.
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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she expected case “numbers to bounce around for several weeks” and has ordered household gatherings to be reduced by half until further notice.
SA Police has warned more restrictions may be imposed at short notice on top of those that already apply to travellers from NSW.
Currently, anyone who has visited the Northern Beaches Council area of NSW is prohibited from entering SA.Â
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In addition, anyone who has visited Greater Sydney since December 11 or the Central Coast or Wollongong since December 20 is required to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in SA.
They must also get tested for COVID-19 within 24 hours of arriving in SA, and again on day five, and on day 12.
Travellers from any other part of NSW do not have to isolate, but must also get tested for COVID-19 three times within their first fortnight of arriving in SA.
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