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NSW Covid cluster grows; new case with no link to outbreak

Author
news.com.au,
Publish Date
Sat, 26 Dec 2020, 2:39PM
(Photo / Getty)
(Photo / Getty)

NSW Covid cluster grows; new case with no link to outbreak

Author
news.com.au,
Publish Date
Sat, 26 Dec 2020, 2:39PM

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has updated Australia on the state's continued battle with the northern beaches cluster, with an additional nine cases reported on Christmas Day.      

Of the cases, six have been linked to the Avalon cluster, with one case a potential false positive. The other two cases included one from a person who took a flight from Sydney to Griffith and another locally acquired case in Bondi with no link to the Avalon cluster. 

In light of the new cases, Ms Berejiklian said she would not be easing restrictions as the state puts in the “hard yards” to restore normality as soon as possible.

“There are still concerns about the CBD and still concerns about people in the Northern Beaches who may unintentionally have spread the virus without knowing they have it,” she told media.

Elsewhere, a 25-year-old man linked to the Bronte Beach Christmas party has been charged after refusing to comply with a move-on notice from police.

This comes as a crowd of young people, many dressed in Santa hats, were seen chanting and dancing  before they were eventually dispersed by police at about 5pm, Friday.

Lucy Meyer, who witnessed the scene, told news.com.au there were so many of them, singing so loudly, that she “could still hear them from a 10-minute walk away”.

“There were around 200-300 partying in the grass,” Ms Meyer said.

“A huge portion of the crowd were packed closely together, singing loudly and jumping up and down.

“There were plenty of cops standing around, but they didn’t seem to be doing anything to break up the crowd.

“It’s clearly against public health guidelines, and it puts people at risk at a time when so many Sydneysiders have sacrificed their holiday plans to protect others.”

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard slammed the group as “ignorant” and said it was “beyond belief” that they would risk gathering in large numbers, and risk spreading the virus, he told the Daily Telegraph.

The outbreak now sits at 127 total cases, 116 of which are associated with the Avalon cluster on the northern beaches.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned the state was “not out of the woods” yet. She discouraged people from going into the Boxing Day sales in the CBD today.

 

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