Fears Sydney coronavirus cluster has spread to Queensland after 18 people visited Crossroads Hotel before crossing the border
- Eighteen people in Queensland have been instructed to self isolate
- They all visited the Crossroads Hotel in Sydney before crossing the border
- The venue is now at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak with 21 cases so far
Eighteen people in Queensland have been instructed to self isolate after they visited a Sydney venue which is at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak.
Already at least 21 COVID-19 cases have been linked to the Crossroads Hotel in Casula in south-west Sydney.
Any patrons who visited the hotel between July 3 and July 10 have been urged to get tested.
Since the cluster was announced, 18 people who are currently in Queensland have presented for testing.
They are all awaiting their results in quarantine.
Pictured: New South Wales health workers dressed in personal protective equipment prepare to administer COVID-19 tests to people in their cars at the Crossroads Hotel testing centre in Casula, western Sydney. Queensland has banned travellers from the local government areas of Campbelltown and Liverpool - which includes Casula - to stop the spread of COVID-19
Authorities believe that number will continue to rise in the coming days.
On Tuesday, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced New South Wales local government areas of Liverpool and Campbelltown would be considered COVID-19 hotspots from midday.
Anybody from those areas, or who has travelled within the regions, will not be permitted to enter Queensland.
'Travellers who have been in a COVID-19 hotspot within the past 14 days can’t quarantine in Queensland and will be turned away at our borders,' she said.
'Queenslanders who have been in a COVID-19 hotspot within the past 14 days are required to hotel quarantine at their own expense.'
Borders remain closed to all Victorians, where the entire state has been identified as a potential hotspot as it grapples with a devastating second outbreak.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced her state had declared suburbs within the two local government areas 'COVID-19 hot spots'. Ms Palaszczuk pictured addressing the media on Monday
Ms Palaszczuk is facing mounting pressure from Queenslanders - particularly online - to reassess the state's position on borders and consider barring anybody from New South Wales, too.
On Tuesday, there were zero new confirmed cases of the deadly respiratory virus in Queensland, and four active infections.
Of the 21 known cases linked to the Crossroads Hotel, 10 are people who went inside the pub, which is a popular rest stop for truckies, and 11 are their close contacts.
Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said her teams are still working on finding 'patient zero' - but it's believed someone from Victoria brought the virus into the state.
Pictured: The Sydney venues feared to be at the centre of COVID-19 outbreaks
She said: 'It's a pivotal part of the investigation as to whether these cases can be linked to any travellers from Melbourne because that gives us comfort we are not missing another avenue of transmission.
'The hypothesis as this could have been introduced through contact in Victoria, but we have to remain open-minded.
'What's most important is we don't go down one path without keeping a very open mind.
'It is premature for me to conclude, how this came about. I need a few more days to do the relevant testing.'
Dr Chant said other venues across Sydney may have been exposed to the virus between June 27 and July 10 after visits from people linked to the outbreak.
These include Picton Hotel, Planet Fitness gym in Casula, Canterbury Leagues Club, Narellan Town Centre and Zone Bowling in Villawood.
More to come.
