Three new coronavirus cases detected in NSW, as Sydney’s northern beaches cluster grows to five

People line up for COVID-19 testing at Mona Vale Hospital’s walk-in clinic in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Source: AAP

Three more coronavirus cases have been detected in Sydney’s northern beaches, a day after two other residents and a Sydney Airport worker tested positive to the virus.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard confirmed the three new cases on Thursday, bringing the cluster developing in the area to five.

The new cases take the state’s total to six locally-transmitted cases in two days after almost two weeks of no new infections in the community.

Mr Hazzard said one of the cases identified on Thursday morning is a man in his 60s from Frenchs Forest, who had been working in a band.

The man had visited a number of locations over the past week, including Avalon RSL Club, Penrith RSL Club and Kirribilli Club.

The other case was an aged care worker in her 50s, who worked at Pittwater Palms in Avalon. The woman’s partner, also from the northern beaches, was confirmed as a case on Thursday afternoon.

It was revealed on Wednesday evening that a woman in her 60s and a man in his 70s who were close contacts of each other had tested positive to COVID-19. Both are also residents of Sydney’s northern beaches, prompting NSW Health to issue an alert for a number of locations across the region.

These included Palm Beach female change rooms, Coast Palm Beach Cafe, Avalon Bowlo, Sneaky Grind Cafe at Avalon Beach, Avalon Beach Woolworths, and Oliver’s Pie at Avalon.

Hundreds of people started queuing up at Mona Vale hospital early on Thursday to get tested for the virus, with multiple pop-up testing centres now in place.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian also flagged on Thursday some northern beaches nursing homes may be locked down until the outbreak is contained.

“We want to get on top of this and don’t want this concering us in the last few days before Christmas,” she told reporters.

“There are a number of aged care facilities which are very vulnerable in the northern beaches, so (NSW Health) will also be issuing a directive to say (to) certain aged care facilities on the northern beaches, we’re recommending no visitors until we identify the source of the infection and feel more confident that we have it under control.”

The latest outbreak has also prompted concerns about whether the recently-opened Queensland and WA borders will again be shut to people from NSW over Christmas.

WA Premier Mark McGowan didn’t rule out reimposing restrictions if further infections were detected in NSW, saying “if the advice comes back that we need to put up a hard border, then we will”.

Acting Queensland Premier Steven Miles said the government was not considering fresh border restrictions at this stage, saying the next 48 hours would be important.

Mr Hazzard implored the two states to avoid “pre-emptive” action.

“My blood pressure hasn’t gone up, my pulse hasn’t gone up, we’re just doing what we do in NSW – handling the cases,” he told reporters.

NSW Health is urgently undertaking genomic sequencing and contact tracing to stem the damage and pinpoint the source of the northern beaches infections.

The alerts came just hours after authorities announced that a 45-year-old van driver from Sydney’s southwest had tested positive for the virus after working to transfer international aircrew to their accommodation.

There is currently no link between the airport worker and the northern beaches cases.

SBS With additional reporting by AAP.