Sydney’s northern beaches cluster grows and what happens next?

NSW residents have been warned to brace for rising infections in the lead up to Christmas as the Avalon cluster, in Sydney’s northern beaches, climbs to 83 cases.

The first two cases associated with the cluster were detected on Wednesday December 16. These cases, along with an airport driver on the other side of Sydney who tested positive just hours earlier, ended the state’s 12-day streak with no locally-spread infections.

Today, NSW has reported 15 local cases from a known source, no local cases from an unknown source, 8 overseas cases and no cases under investigation.

The coronavirus cluster on Sydney’s northern beaches has grown to 83 cases, as record numbers of people come forward for testing in NSW.

More than 38,000 people were swabbed for the virus in the 24 hours to 8.00pm yesterday, and 15 new infections were recorded.

While the number of new cases is significantly lower than the 30 found in the previous reporting period, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: “Unfortunately, one day’s results doesn’t tell us it’s a trend.”

She said authorities were monitoring the situation “on an hourly basis” and that they would on Wednesday morning provide an update as to what restrictions would be in place for Christmas.

The cluster first emerged last week, and has already swollen to be the state’s second biggest since July.

It has surpassed other outbreaks at the Crossroads Hotel (57 cases) and several funeral services at Bankstown (76 cases), and is closing in on the Thai Rock restaurant (114 cases).

The Premier was cautiously optimistic that the number of new cases had decreased when compared to the previous two days.