GLOBAL: Residents of three Australian cities told to get tested for Covid-19 and isolate

MOST populous Australian state, New South Wales, today called on residents in three cities to take Covid-19 tests and isolate.

This is due to growing concerns that a Sydney cluster may have spread to regional areas after a visitor from the city tested positive.

Rising concerns over the extent of the Sydney cluster saw authorities ban residents from several suburbs from attending a January 7 Australia-India cricket test in Sydney, and have called for widespread testing for even the mildest of symptoms.

Some of the suburbs have been linked to a liquor outlet frequented by possibly thousands of people over the Christmas period.

The epicentre of Australia’s latest outbreak, New South Wales (NSW) state, on Tuesday said it had detected four new local cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, one in a man who travelled from Sydney to the outback town of Broken Hill.

“This is a reminder of what can occur for people who are moving out of Sydney. We said clearly in the past, if you have any symptoms, if you are concerned, you should limit your mobility,” acting NSW Premier, John Barilaro, told reporters in Sydney.

Barilaro thereby urged people in three regional NSW cities, which the infected man visited, to get a COVID-19 test and isolate while they await test results.

Having reported zero new local infections on Monday, the first time since December 15, NSW has recorded nearly 200 cases in the recent Sydney outbreaks, though infections have largely been confined to just a few suburbs.

The state has imposed new social distancing restrictions and mandated the wearing of masks in shopping centres and on public transport or face a A$200 ($154) fine.

NSW has been effectively isolated from the rest of Australia after other states and territories closed borders or imposed 14-day mandatory quarantine rules.

Australia shut its international borders in March to all non-citizens and permanent residents.

Those allowed to enter must enter a 14-day hotel quarantine.

Australia has reported just over 28,500 coronavirus cases and 909 deaths.

Reuters