Coronavirus Asia

No welcome for Sydney folk after cluster surge

Australian states, territories impose strict rules, including travel bans and quarantine

From 5pm on Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people in several suburbs will be forced indoors with beaches, pubs and hotels closed. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

SYDNEY • Sydney was isolated from the rest of Australia yesterday after all the nation's states and territories imposed travel restrictions as a coronavirus cluster in the city grew to around 70.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) sent a stern "do not come to us" message to the country's most populous city of more than five million people, warning its residents they would be quarantined for 14 days if they arrived.

"If you are not an ACT resident and have been in greater Sydney... our message is simple: Do not travel to the ACT," said the territory's health department.

The states of Victoria and Queensland, as well as the Northern Territory, are banning people arriving from Sydney from today.

Queensland police will reintroduce road checkpoints at the New South Wales (NSW) state border to help enforce the new declaration of greater Sydney as a Covid-19 hot spot. Sydney is the capital of NSW.

South Australia state imposed 14 days of quarantine for Sydney arrivals yesterday and banned travellers from affected suburbs.

The island state of Tasmania took similar steps on Saturday.

Western Australia state imposed a hard border closure.

Travellers from elsewhere in NSW will require documents showing they are not coming from the affected Sydney suburbs if they wish to cross state borders.

SPH Brightcove Video
Australia's most populous city Sydney became further isolated from the rest of the country on Sunday after states closed borders and imposed quarantine measures on its residents as a coronavirus cluster in the city grew to around 70.

About a quarter of a million people in Sydney's northern beach suburbs, where the outbreak has occurred, have been put under a strict lockdown until Christmas Eve.

"If we can lock down here and get rid of it, fantastic and everyone else can be free," said Ms Rachel Buxcon, a retired resident.

"But if it extends, then we're all in it together."

NSW state Premier Gladys Berejiklian yesterday said public gatherings across the rest of Sydney will be limited, with household gatherings capped at 10 participants and hospitality venues at 300.

"We must take this action now to ensure we keep on top of this outbreak," she added, urging people in the greater Sydney area to wear masks in public.

Until last week, Australia had gone more than two weeks without any local transmission and lifted most rules ahead of Christmas. The new outbreak has thrown holiday travel plans into chaos.

The annual Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race starting this coming Saturday has been cancelled for the first time in its 76-year history as crews and their families would have to quarantine on arrival in Tasmania.

Hotels and holiday rentals in NSW have been swamped with mass cancellations.

"An important reminder as we come into the Christmas holiday season is that the virus has not gone anywhere and we must remain careful," said Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

The nation has avoided the worst of the pandemic due to border closures, lockdowns, widespread testing and social distancing. It has recorded around 28,100 infections - with the overwhelming majority in Victoria state - and 908 deaths.

The origin of the virus outbreak in Sydney remains unknown, with genome testing suggesting a US strain.

REUTERS

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 21, 2020, with the headline No welcome for Sydney folk after cluster surge . Subscribe