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Subscriber only Queensland authorities can t rule out slamming the border shut on greater Sydney, as NSW probes whether airline crew could be behind the growing Northern Beaches COVID-19 outbreak. The Christmas plans of Queenslanders hoping to reunite with southern relatives hung in the balance on Friday night, as NSW authorities put Sydney on its highest alert and urged residents to wear a mask. Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young couldn t say on Friday whether the state s border would shut to greater Sydney before Christmas, warning further hot spots could be declared should community transmission grow. The NSW government was forced to bring in new measures after an international airline crew breached quarantine restrictions, with all crews now required to isolate at two designated hotels near the airport under police guard.
Thirteen airline crew members broke self-isolation, left their hotel and headed out for a night on the town a fortnight ago - and it was only disclosed today.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed on Friday that a crew member attended several venues after breaching isolation rules a few weeks ago .
But the situation was actually worse than that.
In a statement, the NSW Police Force said officers received information that a crew member had left his accommodation in Mascot on December 5.
Police attended the hotel and spoke with management. They later fined 13 airline crew with $1000 infringement notices. It will be alleged several crew members left the hotel and attended nearby businesses at Mascot, a police spokesperson said.
All of Sydney urged to be on high alert as Northern Beaches coronavirus cluster swells to 28 sbs.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sbs.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
NSW coronavirus outbreak at Sydney s Northern Beaches grows to 28
FriFriday 18
updated
FriFriday 18
DecDecember 2020 at 1:40pm
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Sydney s Northern Beaches coronavirus cluster has potentially expanded into the Central Coast, as contact tracers work around the clock to investigate the movements of 28 cases.
Key points:
Two infections are under investigation: a South Sydney van driver and a Northern Beaches case
Both strains appear to be of US origin, though the pair are not thought to be linked
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All NSW residents are being asked to get tested for even the mildest COVID-19 symptoms, with NSW Health issuing the urgent appeal after a cluster of coronavirus cases in Sydney s Northern Beaches area ballooned to 28 confirmed infections.
Northern Beaches residents are also being asked to wear a mask from Friday until Monday.
Health authorities said genomic testing had confirmed the virus entered Australia from overseas, but health authorities had so far been unable to determine how it spread to the community.
The spike in cases prompted federal Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly to declare the Northern Beaches Local Government Area a hotspot on Friday, on the basis that more infections are expected, Health Minister Greg Hunt said.