Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Pushka]

No cases outside Northern Beaches.
Some venues outside the northern beaches have been flagged as close (requiring 14 day quarantine and testing) and potential contacts.

Note also today is 15 cases out of 38,578 tests.
That's under 0.04% or 1 in 2500

That’s what I heard too.

 

[james4321]

But you haven't said what was NSW's mistake.A Quarantine breach is not necessarily a mistake.Governments really shouldn't be responsible for some peoples stupidity and selfishness.At this time there is no evidence of a mistake.

But the QLD was a definite inexcusable mistake.The problem is it has happened before so should not have happened again.

Its pretty simple. The fact that the system has (or hopefully now had) a hole in it which allowed someone to slip through the system is also an inexcusable mistake. And if it was courtesy of airline cabin crew then that had happened before too, so the warning bells were there but ignored. Not saying it wasnt stupidity or selfishness or even bad luck because theres plenty of that occurring in all States. But you cant escape the fact that after all the criticism of other States ironically it is now NSW that is the problem State. I hope they can fix it quickly, but in the meantime it is absolutely the decision of other State leaders to apply whatever border controls they deem necessary.

 

[Pushka]

Not sure which thread now but just heard if transiting via Sydney for less than 2 hours then no restriction on entering SA from another state. Maybe check SA Police Facebook.

Lineup for Covid testing in SA is huge this morning.

 

[mrsterryn]

Husband went up to Eastgardens in Sydney east today. Absolutely chokkas but loads more wearing masks
Am surprised that masks aren't mandatory in Sydney at least for a few days

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Better keep that border shut to ensure that re-election in March

Lots of folk, including many on AFF held up Taiwan as a 'gold standard'. 'If we had followed Taiwan...' we wouldn't have had to have lockdowns and all sorts of other restrictions.

A key part of Taiwan's approach was closing borders fast, and early.

States replicate that in Australia and still get grief? We can't have both.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

No cases outside Northern Beaches.
Some venues outside the northern beaches have been flagged as close (requiring 14 day quarantine and testing) and potential contacts.

Note also today is 15 cases out of 38,578 tests.
That's under 0.04% or 1 in 2500

COVID case reported in 'workplace in the CBD'​

Returning to NSW now, and as Dr Kerry Chant mentioned earlier, five cases of coronavirus have been linked to The Salon for Hair at Turramurra, while another has been linked to the Rose of Australia Hotel at Erskineville.

Asked if there were any other businesses that had been linked to subsequent cases, Dr Chant said "we have seen a transmission event in a workplace in the CBD".



....so I doubt all 7 cases linked to sites all reside in the Northern Beaches.

 

[moa999]

The fact that the system has (or hopefully now had) a hole in it which allowed someone to slip through the system is also an inexcusable mistake. ...that after all the criticism of other States ironically it is now NSW that is the problem State.

Remember some 1500+ Victorian healthcare workers caught Covid despite taking massive precautions.
In some circumstances this virus just gets out.
There may not be a mistake.
It could also be someone in hotel quarantine who only became infectious on Day 15 when they had returned home. (Overseas studies have shown incubation of up to i believe 17 days at the far outer edge)

NSW was always the most likely to have a break given.
1. It's the most populous state
2. It's been doing the heavy lifting in overseas returnees
(45% of people doing hotel quarantine in Sydney have subsequently travelled home to other states)

Unless you stop every Australian citizen returning and stop all trade (no new cars, TVs, clothing, much food etc) you can't stop all points of risk.

 

[antycbr]

Remember some 1500+ Victorian healthcare workers caught Covid despite taking massive precautions.
In some circumstances this virus just gets out.
There may not be a mistake.
It could also be someone in hotel quarantine who only became infectious on Day 15 when they had returned home. (Overseas studies have shown incubation of up to i believe 17 days at the far outer edge)

NSW was always the most likely to have a break given.
1. It's the most populous state
2. It's been doing the heavy lifting in overseas returnees

Unless you stop every Australian citizen returning and stop all trade (no new cars, TVs, clothing, much food etc) you can't stop all points of risk.

My preference now is we take a month break from hotel quarantine in NSW. Every other state can step up. After all they have perfect systems and never make a mistake.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Note that the 2 unlinked cases of yesterday have now been linked.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Out of 38,000 tests. That has got to be a record? This almost seems like it’s going “China style” and testing the entire population. I wouldn’t be surprised if everybody on the Northern Beaches has been tested by Xmas.

This will be the big difference between this and the crossroads issue. Virtually all of the impacted sites this time are in wealthy, educated areas where people clearly are complying. Crossroads was almost the exact opposite.

Sydney - city of villages. Really shines through sometimes

On records:
Most test results announced in NSW in a day was 49,940 on 11 Sep.

Most test results announced in a day in Vic was 82,309 on 3 Sep

Note that tests taken in a day is different. But I don't think anyone records that in a public way?


38K is very good, and so excellent to see. Though this will be also people being tested elsewhere in Sydney too.

 

[Lynda2475]

Dr Chant was very clear again today that patient zero has not yet been confirmed, she again stressed that whist the passenger who returned from USA on 1st Dec has the closest strain, its not yet a direct link and they are still also looking at airline crew and other possible sources.

So incorrect of Mr Andrews to claim has been linked to hotel quarantine. Also note NSW didnt close border to Vic until their cases were averaging over 120/day, NSW no where near that.

It is excellent that its been 100% confirmed no relationship between the cleaner, bus driver and Avalon infections. NSW health swift action has cotained those first two cases from resulting in outbreaks.

It is also great that 100% of cases with the Avalon strain have been directly link to people who attended Avalon venues or were close contacts of those who did. Yes there are some cases who are resident outside the Northern beaches but provided they are isolating there should not be a large risk to rest of greater Sydney.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

It could also be someone in hotel quarantine who only became infectious on Day 15 when they had returned home. (Overseas studies have shown incubation of up to i believe 17 days at the far outer edge)

One of New Zealand's most recent outbreaks was from a person who has been through hotel quarantine including test on Days 3 and 11 (or it may be day 10?) and who then after have been released from quarantine and flying home internally with NZ became infectious transmitting the virus to others including household members and testing positive.

And with NZ's first and major strain their second wave they still have no idea how it entered NZ. Plus they have have 8 odd quarantine leaks or transmission via a seaport in their second wave period.

The virus is very transmissible and so it will get out occasionally.

Luck and good/bad practice plays a part in how big each new outbreak is.

• The cleaner and the bus driver were both clearly good in their practices (ie cleaner wore masks when on public transport)
• This current outbreak not so lucky as it got out to public venues. But general excellent practices now.
• SA outbreak lucky in that an observant doctor notice a cough as the many infected were not going to present for testing of their own volition.

With the current outbreak while it has a little head start, the control measures in place look good. Well that is apart from the lack of willingness of many to wear masks still (at least going by the news footage)..

 

[lovetravellingoz]

It is also great that 100% of cases with the Avalon strain have been directly link to people who attended Avalon venues or were close contacts of those who did. Yes there are some cases who are resident outside the Northern beaches but provided they are isolating there should not be a large risk to rest of greater Sydney.

I think your 100% claim is dubious as it has been stated that their has been a transmission in a workplace outside of the northern beaches.

So while yes while linked to the northern beaches not 100% of transmission has occurred in the northern beaches.

Plus patient zero will not have been infected in the norther beaches. How and where is unknown, but clearly will not have been in the northern beaches as is an international strain.

Risk may not be large, but it is a risk, and importantly as the source of this out break is not yet known the degree of the risk is completely unknown. There could for example be other unknown branches. This is why large volumes of test are required throughout Sydney.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Dr Chant was very clear again today that patient zero has not yet been confirmed, she again stressed that whist the passenger who returned from USA on 1st Dec has the closest strain, its not yet a direct link and they are still also looking at airline crew and other possible sources.

.

This has been stated by Dr Chant since very early on, but the journos keep asking each day anyway.

It seems the LA passenger's virus is probably (genomically) a close cousin of the Avalon Strain rather than its parent.

 

[Lynda2475]

So while yes while linked to the northern beaches not 100% of transmission has occurred in the northern beaches.

Which is why I said "ör close contacts who did". You chose to ignore that bit of my statement,

So I never claimed they werent cases outside Northern beaches, but they did have close contact with someone who was from the Northern Beaches. This morning Dr Chant said the CBD workplace spread was from a Northern Beaches local who didnt know they were infected attending thier workplace.

They have been honest they dont know who patient zero is for sure nor how the infection got into the northern beaches, but all the community cases since the two main seeding events at the Avalon RSL and Bowlo have been linked back to Northern Beaches.

It is still possible that airline crew who have since left the country brought the US strain into the Northern Beaches or a worker fromt he Norther beaches had close contact with fright workers or airline crew.

 

[blackcat20]

You can’t blame vic for shutting borders quickly. We’ve been though enough this year, the last thing we need is a third wave....

 

[lovetravellingoz]

The point is that this very transmissible virus has not just been in the northern beaches. And where the virus goes transmission may have occurred. Where the person resides does not mean that the virus will not be spread if a person infected by it travels, or works outside the are. It does and will if given the opportunity.. The Chadstone truck driver lived in Melbourne but his one little jaunt spread it to Kilmore and Shepparton.

“The problem we've got at the moment is I don't know how it got there ... and I don't know if there are any undetected chains of transmission to the community,” Dr Chant said.

NSW is doing well as I have stated since early on. But given the above, a cautious approach is required. It may only be in the northern beaches, or it may not. It is important till it is known that it is only in the northern beaches to act as if it could also be elsewhere.

Naturally the northern beaches is the main focus.

The NZ Auckland strain that appeared unknown to start their second wave also popped up in two other main locations.

 

[Lynda2475]

You can’t blame vic for shutting borders quickly. We’ve been though enough this year, the last thing we need is a third wave....

Agree dont need a third wave, but lets be clear, there is no wide spread across Greater Sydney (nor the regional areas Vic added to the restrictions i.e. Blue Mountains, Central Coast or Illawarra).

The States and Territories will do what they want, all have proven we arent all in it together, but that parochialism rules.

If NSW was so reactionary we could block international air-freight arriving in NSW being forwarded onto other states/territories not pulling their weight and refuse the 45% of arriving passengers who are residents of other states. But no, NSW continues to wear the biggest burden and risk and has done an amazing job whilst being punching bag for states who are doing very little on the international front.

 

[N860CR]

You can’t blame vic for shutting borders quickly. We’ve been though enough this year, the last thing we need is a third wave....

But is this what Victoria intends to do for the next 5 years?

 

[Lynda2475]

The point is that this very transmissible virus has not just been in the northern beaches. And where the virus goes transmission may have occurred.

And i havent disputed that risk, but to date there has not been widespread unlinked infections outside of the Northern Beaches of this strain. Apart from patient zero mystery we havent had heaps of random unliked mystery cases all across greater Sydney like Victoria did for months.

My issue is with other states telling NSW what we need to do and Dr Swan caling for whole of Greater Sydney to go into immediate lockdown is not warranted. Im fine with wearing a mask (i never stopped doing so when shopping or on public transport), Im fine with Gyms and places of worship being closed temporaily again and return to 4Sqm rule, but I am not ok with anything that says I cant go 7km to my parents house (not in northern beaches) on Xmas day, when neither myself or my parents have been in any venue or suburb that has had a case.