On Thursday night, a NSW Health lab detected the B1.351 variant in PCR samples from the four family members who had recently flown in from South Africa.
Further testing is underway to confirm the cases, but as a precaution all 16 passengers who shared their flight from South Africa to Sydney have been moved to Special Health Accommodation, where all COVID-positive travellers are quarantined. There are concerns that this South African strain does share a similar mutation from the UK that may be associated with increased transmissibility. That is why we are taking a very cautious approach there, Dr Chant said.
Some of the mutations are associated with increased transmissibility, and obviously we need to be vigilant for other impacts of the viruses as they change. This is a normal part of the evolution. It is what we expect virus to do, but it is important that we therefore take a very precautionary approach.
Loading
COVID-19 patients will not be released from isolation until at least 14 days after their symptom onset, and they will get tested at the end of their isolation period. It is important to note that some people still can have remnants of the virus for a long time, so we will use an expert panel to ensure we are not releasing cases that are infectious and that will require more intensive testing if anyone still remains [positive], Dr Chant said.
Date Time
COVID-19 variant
An expert panel has determined that a returned traveller who was identified as having the new UK variant of COVID-19 after completing their isolation period was not infectious when they returned to the community.
A returned traveller arrived in NSW from overseas on 21 December and entered mandatory quarantine, where they tested positive for COVID-19 following their day two swab.
The person was transferred to the Special Health Accommodation, which cares for all returned travellers who test positive, and was discharged from the Special Health Accommodation at 12.10am on 5 January.
The person had been medically assessed the day before, met all exit criteria in place at the time, and on the basis of those criteria were considered clear of COVID-19.