Sydney's Berala cluster not linked to Avalon

Genomic sequencing has revealed the Berala cluster is not linked to the Avalon outbreak in Sydney's Northern Beaches.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said a member of a family group who had returned from overseas and transported to a health facility had passed the virus onto a patient transport worker.

The worker then passed the virus onto a colleague who had visited the Berala BWS for a "fleeting amount of time".

https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1345521508735541248

Health authorities have issued alerts for a number of times between Tuesday, 22 December and Thursday 31 December where transmission may have occurred.

Anyone who attended the BWS at those times has been asked to get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days regardless of the test result.

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"We know these transmission events have happened through very minimal exposure, we are asking members of the community who did purchase alcohol or enter that premises for that period to be very vigilant and take the public health action of isolating for 14 days if you were there at those times," Dr Chant said.

"Anyone living in the Berala area has also been asked to come forward for testing if they develop any symptoms associated with COVID-19.

"We are still concerned about a case that occurred yesterday where we still haven't managed to find links in terms of the Avalon cluster."

https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1345548721916764166

Investigations continue into the links between the Wollongong, Croydon and Avalon clusters.

Dr Chant said the BWS store on Woodburn Road in Berala is a transmission site of particular concern to authorities.

"We know that there have been transmission events at this venue. And it is important that we know that also those transmission events occurred through what appear to be very brief exposures at that venue," she said.

More than 2000 people have been contacted and told to get tested and isolate in relation to the BWS store.

"I know it was a busy period, but we are very concerned that transmission has occurred at this site and it is important because the duration of time means that someone who has previously been there could have actually transmitted it to another group of people."

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