NSW has recorded 10 new COVID-19 cases acquired via community transmission, found amid almost 28,000 tests.
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Five of the cases have a direct link to the Avalon cluster, three were members of the Croydon cluster, one was linked to an earlier patient transportation cluster and one was under investigation, with a chance it was an old case.
There were no new cases in Wollongong, according to the Premier's morning update.
Gladys Berejiklian thanked the community for the high testing rates - which were up by 10,000 tests compared with the previous day - and said it was pleasing the case numbers had gone down.
"Pleasingly we've seen the numbers go down today, but it's very volatile, they're going to bounce around," she said.
"She said people needed to reduce mobility and people they were mixing with, and said people should be wearing a mask any time indoors."
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NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant also praised the increased testing numbers but urged the community to "strive for even higher testing rates".
"If you have any symptoms today, do not go to any functions or gatherings," she said.
There were seven new cases found in hotel quarantine in the 24 hours to 8pm Wednesday.
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 here.
People are urged to check this list before they attend any gatherings or social events.
People are also reminded that new restrictions are in place for New Year's Eve.
For Greater Sydney (including Wollongong, Central Coast and Blue Mountains) household gatherings are limited to 5 visitors (including children). The limit for outdoor gatherings has been reduced from 50 to 30.
Restrictions for the northern zone of the Northern Beaches remain the same but for the southern zone of the Northern Beaches household gatherings are limited to 5 visitors from within your zone (including children).
People are encouraged to limit non-essential gatherings over the New Year period where possible to further minimise the risk of transmission in the community.
Additional enhanced measures now in place to help contain spread, include:
- All close contacts of a case should have a COVID-19 test when they are first identified as a close contact, regardless of symptoms, again if they get any symptoms, and again just before the end of their 14-day isolation period (at day 12).
- Household contacts of people identified as close contacts of a case should isolate until the close contact receives a negative test and is effectively isolating from the rest of the household.
Meantime, Victoria has reintroduced some restrictions after three new community cases were found in the state yesterday.
Masks will again be mandatory indoors and people can only have 15 - not 30 - visitors for New Year's Eve.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
