Five cases of the corona virus have been confirmed on the Northern Beaches – in Avalon and Frenchs Forest, forcing aged care facilities into lockdown.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said this morning that any Northern Beaches residents with even mild symptoms should get tested.
She said she would issue a directive for aged care facilities to lock down; it is unknown if this will affect borders over Christmas. A new pop up clinic has just opened at the old Manly Hospital site.
We thank Northern Beaches Advocate for letting us share the following updated information as we were unable to attend this afternoon’s press conference:
Avalon RSL is the focus of an investigation into a cluster of COVID-19 cases on the Northern Beaches.
A fifth Northern Beaches case was notified at a NSW Health press conference held at 1.00pm this afternoon (Thursday, 17 December).
The cases identified so far are a woman in her 60s from Avalon, a man in his 70s from Avalon, a woman in her 50s and her male partner in his 60s both from Palm Beach, and a man in his 60s from Frenchs Forest.
The woman in her 50s from Palm Beach has been identified as a residential aged care worker at the Pittwater Palms aged care facility at Avalon. The man from Frenchs Forest was identified as the drummer in a band that played at the Avalon RSL on Friday, 11 December.
NSW Health is actively contact tracing and has found connections between all the cases so far identified. NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said that anyone who was at Avalon Beach RSL Club on Friday, 11 December must be tested and isolate immediately.
“It is critical that anyone who was at that RSL Club [Avalon Beach] gets tested. Our working hypothesis is that someone at that RSL Club was potentially the source of infection for a number of subsequent cases so it is critical that we identify any individuals that may be positive there,” said Dr Chant.
Dr Chant said the woman from Avalon in her 60s was at the Avalon RSL at the same time as the drummer from the band on Friday, 11 December.
The woman subsequently attended the Avalon Bowling Club on Sunday, 13 December where she crossed paths with the woman from Palm Beach in her 50s who works at Pittwater Palms.
Dr Chant said that Sydney Water were conducting sewerage surveillance and no trace of virus had been detected from the samples taken on 10 December for the Northern Beaches. Additional testing is now being conducted.
Testing is underway on all 180 residents and staff of the Pittwater Palms aged care facility. AVEO also manages the Minkara Resort aged care facility at Bayview but it is understood that there is no cross over of staff between the two facilities.
Visitors are being restricted at all aged care facilities north of Collaroy and staff are required to wear face masks.
Anyone who has attended the following venues is considered a close contact and should get tested and isolate for 14 days even if they receive a negative result:
- Avalon Beach RSL Club, 1 Bowling Green Lane, Avalon Beach — All day Friday, 11 December
- Palm Beach female change rooms — 9.00am-9.15am Sunday, 13 December
- Coast Palm Beach Café, Barrenjoey Road, Palm Beach — 10.00am-11.00am Sunday, 13 December
- Hungry Ghost Café, 20 Avalon Parade, Avalon — 9.30am-11.00am Sunday, 13 December and 9.30am-11.00am Tuesday, 15 December
- Avalon Bowling Club, 4 Bowling Green Lane, Avalon Beach — 5.00pm-7.00pm Sunday, 13 December (not 3.00pm-5.00pm as previously reported) and 3.00pm-5.00pm Tuesday, 15 December
- Sneaky Grind Café, 3/48 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach — 9.30am-11.00am Monday, 14 December
- Barramee Thai Massage and Spa, 4/42-44 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach — 2.00pm-3.30pm Monday, 14 December
- Bangkok Sidewalk Restaurant, 1/21-23 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach — 7.00pm-8.00pm Monday, 14 December
People who have visited the following venues should get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result:
- Woolworths Avalon Beach, 74 Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach — 12.00pm-5.00pm Sunday, 13 December. and 12.00pm-12.30pm Tuesday, 15 December
- Oliver’s Pies, Careel Shopping Village, 1 Careel Head Road, Avalon Beach — 9.00am-9.15am Monday, 14 December
- Bing Lee, Gateway, 1 Mona Vale Road, Mona Vale — 4.30pm-4.45pm Monday, 14 December
COVID-19 testing centres in the area open 8.00am – 10.00pm. In addition the Manly pop there is:
- Avalon Recreation Centre, 59 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon
- Newport Community Centre, 11-13 The Boulevarde, Newport
- Mona Vale Hospital Clinic, Gate 3, Coronation Street, Mona Vale
- North Narrabeen drive-through clinic, 1416 Pittwater Road, Narrabeen
- Dee Why Respiratory Clinic, 5 Mooramba Road, Dee Why
- Northern Beaches Hospital, 105 Frenchs Forest Road, Frenchs Forest
- Brookvale Community Health Centre, 612-624 Pittwater Road, Brookvale
- Warringah Aquatic Centre Drive-through, 1 Aquatic Dr, Frenchs Forest
