Four new cases in NSW, January 5

NSW recorded four new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. Two of these cases, linked to the Berala cluster, were first reported yesterday morning, but are included in today’s numbers.

Four cases were also recorded in returned travellers in hotel quarantine, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 4,784.

There were 26,391 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 22,275. NSW Health urges people – especially those in western, south-western Sydney and Wollongong – to continue to come forward with even the mildest of symptoms. Every person who gets tested plays an important role in helping to contain the spread of COVID-19.

A high-volume drive-through COVID testing clinic is open at Merrylands Park, at the corner of Burnett Street and Merrylands Road, from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week. Anyone who has been identified as a close contact from the BWS Berala should go to this site.

Confirmed cases (incl. interstate residents in NSW health care facilities)	4,784
Deaths (in NSW from confirmed cases)	56
Total tests carried out	4,219,032

Of the eight new locally acquired cases to 8pm last night:

• Two are linked to the BWS Berala cluster, which now numbers 15. A further case, who attended Woolworths, is likely linked to the Berala cluster and is under investigation.
• In addition, four cases were acquired overseas and are in hotel quarantine.

NSW Health has updated its advice regarding the BWS and Woolworths in Berala as part of our efforts to stop the spread of the virus and understand how transmission has occurred in these two key venues of concern.

It is critical that people who visited these venues from 20 December to 31 December are tested for COVID-19 and follow the appropriate advice regarding self-isolation, depending on whether they are a close or casual contact.

Those identified as close contacts from BWS and Woolworths in Berala should get tested and isolate for 14 days even if they receive a negative result. Household contacts of close contacts should isolate until the close contact has received a negative result.

People identified as casual contacts from these two venues should get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result. Please continue to monitor for symptoms, and if they appear, get tested again.

BWS Berala:

• Sunday, 20 December

Close contacts: 12:30pm – 2pm

Casual contacts: all other times that day

• Monday, 21 December

Casual contacts: all day

• Tuesday, 22 December

Close contacts: 12.45pm – 9.15pm

Casual contacts: all other times that day

• Wednesday, 23 December

Close contacts: 1:40pm – 9.15pm

Casual contacts: all other times that day

• Thursday, 24 December

Close contacts: 12:40pm – 9:15pm

Casual contacts: all other times that day

• Saturday, 26 December

Close contacts: 9.55am – 7.15pm

Casual contacts: all other times that day

• Sunday, 27 December

Close contacts: 12.40pm – 8.15pm

Casual contacts: all other times that day

• Monday, 28 December

Close contacts: 9.30am – 7.15pm

Casual contacts: all other times that day

• Tuesday, 29 December

Close contacts: 1.45pm – 9.15pm

Casual contacts: all other times that day

• Wednesday, 30 December

Close contacts: 12.45pm – 9.15pm

Casual contacts: all other times that day

• Thursday, 31 December

Close contacts: 8.30am – 3pm

Casual contacts: all other times that day

Woolworths Berala:

Anyone who attended at any time between Sunday, 20 December and Thursday, 31 December should get tested immediately and isolate until a negative result is received. Please continue to monitor for symptoms, and if they appear, get tested again.

Everyone is urged to keep checking the NSW Government website for new information as it emerges.

The state’s ongoing sewage surveillance program has detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at two pumping stations in Camellia. These stations take in sewage from the Berala area, including Auburn, Bankstown, Bass Hill, Berala, Camellia, Chester Hill, Chullora, Clyde, Condell Park, Granville, Guildford, Guildford West, Harris Park, Holroyd, Homebush West, Lidcombe, Mays Hill, Merrylands, Merrylands West, Newington, North Paramatta, Old Guildford, Parramatta, Potts Hill, Regents Park, Rookwood, Rosehill, Rydalmere, Sefton, Silverwater, South Granville, South Wentworthville, Strathfield, Sydney Olympic Park, Westmead, Yagoona. Everyone in these areas is asked to monitor for symptoms and get tested and isolate immediately if they appear.

There are more than 350 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-to-protect-yourself-and-others/clinics or contact your GP.

NSW Health is treating 117 COVID-19 cases, none of whom are in intensive care. Most cases (99 per cent) are being treated in non-acute, out-of-hospital care, including returned travellers in the Special Health Accommodation.

Likely source of confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW:

Likely source of infection	Cases past 24 hours*	Cases past 7 days**	All cases
Overseas	4	42	2,632
Interstate	0	0	90
Locally acquired – linked to known case or cluster	3	44	1,617
Locally acquired – no links to known case or cluster	0	0	435
Locally acquired – investigation ongoing	1	5	10
Under initial investigation	0	0	0
Total	8	91	4,784
Note: Case counts reported for a particular day may vary over time due to ongoing investigations and case review.
*notified from 8pm 3 January 2020 to 8pm 4 January 2021 **from 8pm 29 December 2020 to 8pm 4 January 2021

Returned travellers in hotel quarantine to date:

Since 29 March 2020:	Count
Symptomatic travellers tested	8,512
Found positive	179
Since 30 June 2020:	Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 2	64,748
Found positive	406
Since 15 May 2020:	Count
Asymptomatic travellers screened at day 10	77,059
Found positive	177