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Coronavirus Australia updates live: Sydney COVID-19 cluster concerns grow as 'mystery cases' emerge outside the northern beaches

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Summary

  • NSW recorded seven new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Boxing Day. Six of these were directly linked to the Avalon cluster
  • Testing rates dropped off to 23,933, after laboratories performed 39,133 tests the previous day. NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant is urging people with symptoms to get tested in order to pick up undetected chains of transmission in the community
  • NSW Health is investigating the missing links between several otherwise unconnected cases who attended the Belrose Hotel on different days. Authorities remain concerned by a handful of mystery cases that have no clear link to the Avalon cluster.
  • A 24-year-old man has been arrested after attempting to escape a Melbourne quarantine hotel almost a week after he arrived from Sydney
  • A 49-year-old woman who escaped from a Perth quarantine hotel on Saturday has also been caught and now faces a $50,000 fine or 12 months behind bars
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North Bondi house partygoers fined as police issue 15 infringements since Christmas Eve

Police say they have issued 15 penalty infringement notices since Christmas Eve, including to 11 people at a house party at North Bondi on Saturday that breached public health orders.

Just before 11pm on Saturday, police attended a home on Blair Street after receiving multiple noise complaints, where they located at least 40 people at the party, most of whom ran from the home when officers arrived.

Officers spoke with 11 people, including two residents and nine visitors, who remained at the property. Two women – aged 24 and 26 – and nine men – aged 26, 28, 30, 31, 32, 34, and three aged 24 – were subsequently issued $1000 infringements for not complying with COVID-19 restrictions.

The residents were also issued a 28-day noise abatement direction, while the visitors were directed to leave the area.

Inquiries are continuing to identify other partygoers who were in attendance, police said.

In addition, a further two people and two businesses have been issued infringements since Christmas Eve.

  • About 7.40pm on Wednesday, police attended a restaurant on King Street, Newtown, and noted a crowd on the footpath outside the restaurant and a large number of people inside. After speaking with the owner, who stated he did not have a COVID Safe plan, officers determined there were 27 more people than allowed for the space. The owner was given an opportunity to reduce the number of people within the restaurant, however, the capacity was still exceeded. Following further inquiries, the owner was issued a $5000 penalty infringement notice for failing to comply with COVID-19 restrictions. A COVID Safe plan has since been submitted.
  • On Christmas Day, police received information a northern beaches resident attended a home at Bligh Park, in Sydney's west, in breach of the public health order. Following inquiries, police attended the home on Porpoise Crescent and spoke to the 32-year-old Collaroy woman who confirmed she had travelled to Bligh Park in her car on Christmas Eve. She was directed to return to Collaroy and issued a $1000 infringement for failing to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.

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