NSW Health says initial testing strongly indicates one more overseas traveller, who recently arrived in NSW and is isolating at home on the Central Coast, has been infected with the Omicron COVID-19 variant of concern.
When confirmed, this would bring the total number of confirmed cases of Omicron in NSW to five.
The traveller, who is fully vaccinated, arrived in Sydney on flight QR908 from Doha to Sydney on 25 November and travelled by private car to the Central Coast. The traveller had been in southern Africa.
“Everyone on the flight is considered a close contact and will need to get tested immediately for COVID-19 and isolate for 14 days, regardless of their vaccination status. NSW Health is contacting all passengers and flight crew to advise them of their isolation requirements. They can also call NSW Health on 1800 943 553 for further advice,” the health authority said in a statement this afternoon.
“NSW Health also advises a number of venues were visited by the traveller in Sydney and on the Central Coast before NSW Health directed travellers from southern Africa to go into isolation.”
Anyone who attended the following venue at the times listed is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received. You should continue to monitor for symptoms and if any symptoms occur, get tested again:
| ​Venue | ​Location | ​Addess | ​Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Ryde | Coles, Top Ryde Shopping Centre | Devlin Street, Ryde | Friday 26 November 9:30am to 10:45am |
| Parramatta | Target Parramatta, Westfield Parramatta | 159-175 Church Street | Friday 26 November 10:45am to 11:00am |
| Parramatta | H&M Parramatta, Westfield Parramatta | 159-175 Church Street | Friday 26 November 11:00am to 11:15am |
| Parramatta | The Athlete’s Foot, Westfield Parramatta | 159-175 Church Street | Friday 26 November 11:15am to 11:30am |
| Parramatta | JD Sports, Westfield Parramatta | 159-175 Church Street | Friday 26 November 11:15am to 12:00pm |
| Parramatta | Rebel Sports, Westfield Parramatta, | 159-175 Church Street | Friday 26 November 12:00pm to 12:45pm |
| North Wyong | IGA, North Wyong | 34-38 Cutler Drive | Friday 26 November 6:15pm to 7:00pm |
| Wyong | Pizza Hut, Wyong | 300 Pacific Highway | Friday 26 November 7:00pm – 7:15pm |
| North Wyong | KFC North, Wyong | 300 Pacific Highway | Friday 26 November 7:15pm to 7:30pm |
| Wadalba | Woolworths, Wadalba | 1 Figtree Boulevard | Friday 26 November 7.30pm to 8:15pm |
| Toukley | Aldi, Toukley | 127 Evans Road | Saturday 27 November 4:45pm to 5:45pm |
NSW Health has also advised that initial testing on a second case, now residing in Broken Hill, who arrived on the same flight, indicates this person is unlikely to have been infected with the Omicron variant. This person, who is fully vaccinated and asymptomatic, is isolating at home, it said.
In line with Commonwealth measures, all travellers arriving in NSW who have been in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini and Malawi during the 14-day period before their arrival in NSW must enter hotel quarantine for 14 days, irrespective of their vaccination status.
“All fully vaccinated travellers who have been in any other overseas country during the 14-day period before their arrival in NSW must travel directly to their place of residence or accommodation and isolate for 72 hours, pending further health advice,” NSW Health said.
“Any unvaccinated arrivals go directly into 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine.
“All flight crew who have been overseas during the 14-day period before their arrival in NSW must travel directly to their place of residence or accommodation and isolate for 14 days or until their departure on another flight that leaves Australia, consistent with the current rules for unvaccinated flight crew.”
Anyone who has already arrived in NSW who has been in any of the eight African countries within the previous 14 days must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, and call NSW Health on 1800 943 553.
