South Australia has joined Queensland in introducing an immediate ban on travellers from the Sydney local government area at the heart of the latest COVID-19 outbreak.
Australia’s states and territories are responding to a growing cluster of coronavirus cases in Sydney’s east, with exposure sites now spreading across NSW.
On Saturday, WA Premier Mark McGowan announced all NSW travellers into his state would be required to get tested for COVID-19 upon entry and isolate until they received a negative result.
More cases are being linked to a Bondi a man who works as a hire car driver transporting international flight crews.
A fourth person, a man in his 40s from Baulkham Hills in the city’s north-west, has also tested positive. At this stage, he is not linked to the cluster.
Fifth and sixth cases have also been linked to the cluster in people who had a “fleeting” interaction with another case at the Myer department store at Bondi Junction Westfield. In all, Sydney’s latest outbreak had grown to nine cases by Sunday.
Under the new advice issued by health authorities, anyone who lives in or has visited the Waverley LGA in the past 14 days (but not before June 11) won’t be permitted into the state.
The public health order came into effect immediately as it was issued at on Saturday 7.48pm, leaving travellers at risk of being caught out.
Those who have already arrived in SA must quarantine immediately and contact SA Health for further advice.
Returning South Australian residents, people relocating to the state and those fleeing domestic violence will be permitted in but must self-quarantine for 14 days.
People who have been at the growing list of exposure sites across New South Wales are also banned.
Those who have already arrived in South Australia must quarantine immediately and contact SA Health for further advice.
The new direction was signed by SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens.
Queensland has declared the local government area of Waverley in Sydney a COVID-19 hotspot.
From 1am on June 19, anyone who has been in the Waverley area or has been to any of the venues of concern in the last 14 days is not allowed entry into Queensland.
Anyone who has visited the hotspots already in Queensland will be required to go into hotel quarantine.
The change came after NSW authorities announced a new local COVID-19 case linked to the cluster in the city’s east, that they believed was acquired via “fleeting contact”.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed the state would also introduce a new “traffic light” system for all arrivals.
Green means you’re free to enter Queensland, yellow means you’ve been to a hotspot and must isolate and get tested. Red means you can’t enter at all.
Residents of border communities travelling within the border region will be exempt.
The Victorian government has imposed initial restrictions, classifying the City of Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra local government areas as orange zones.
This means anybody who has arrived into Victoria from those areas from June 11 must isolate, get tested and stay isolated until receiving a negative result.
Authorities in Victoria have not imposed any restrictions at this stage, but Acting Premier James Merlino said the state is keeping an eye on things.
“We are, of course, continuing to monitor the situation in New South Wales with their cases and any implications for Victoria,” Acting Premier James Merlino said.
Tasmania’s Public Health Services has declared a number of venues across NSW as high-risk.
People who have spent time at a high-risk (Level 1) premises at the specified dates and times listed, are not allowed to go to Tasmania.
People have been told to monitor the list of venues and book an test if they develop even mild symptoms.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said all arrivals from NSW must get a COVID-19 test on entering the state or within 48 hours and self-quarantine until they returned a negative result.
They must wear a mask when in transit to their premises and to the facility they get a COVID-19 test.
Mr McGowan said anyone who has visited any of the exposure sites listed in NSW during the relevant times should self-quarantine for 14 days from their date of exposure and be tested immediately (within 48 hours) and on day 11.
He said airport testing has been arranged for Perth Airport domestic terminals from June 20 for all NSW arrivals, however, arrivals can also choose to go to other COVID public or private testing clinics.
Mr McGowan said anyone who has arrived from NSW since June 11 should monitor for symptoms and get tested for COVID-19 if unwell.
