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No new local cases of coronavirus in NSW, two in hotel quarantine

9News.com.au 14/01/2021 Olivana Lathouris

Brad Hazzard wearing a suit and tie: NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said there were no local cases of coronavirus in NSW in the past day.

No new cases of locally acquired COVID-19 have been recorded in New South Wales.

Two cases have been identified in hotel quarantine.

More than 20,000 people were tested for coronavirus in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday.

"It is on the face of it, very positive we've had zero cases of community transmission but that entirely depends on how many people come forward," NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.

"We need people to come forward and be tested. That's the weapon we all have, as locals, as community members, to be able to ensure that our public health teams can back us in and make sure we have the correct knowledge of what is circulating in our community."

Mr Hazzard also clarified upcoming restrictions in NSW for Australia Day on January 26.

Councils in the greater metropolitan area of Sydney are allowed to host Australia Day celebrations with up to 500 people in attendance.

"They can have more than that if it's a more structured environment, up to a couple of thousand," he said.

Mr Hazzard said more specific details would be available within 72 hours on the NSW Health website.

"There have been a number of councils who have been in contact already with NSW Health, asking for what arrangements they can enter into for Australia Day. But I emphasise you can have Australia Day celebrations and just to put those limits," he said.

Earlier, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned the mutant strain of COVID-19 from the United Kingdom is "likely to become one of our dominant strains".

a close up of Gladys Berejiklian: The NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said the UK virus strain is no longer isolated to Europe and is now a challenge facing Australia.

The NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said the UK virus strain is no longer isolated to Europe and is now a challenge facing Australia.

Ms Berejiklian told Today the new strain should no longer be considered only an issue for the UK.

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"It's actually not the UK strain anymore, it exists in more than 30 countries," she said.

"A lot of those countries have Australians waiting to come home."

She said the main focus for NSW would be ensuring there are no preventable gaps in the state's quarantine system.

"We need to make sure there isn't anything else we can do to tighten the quarantine system more than what it already is," Ms Berejiklian said.

"We do know that for some people it will mean they will need to stay more than 14 days."

Ms Berejiklian said she was hesitant to support the use of detention camps or mining camps as quarantine centres for overseas arrivals.

a person standing in front of a car: NSW Health workers conduct COVID-19 virus testing at a mobile test station near LaPerouse in the South Sydney area. © James Alcock/NINE MEDIA NSW Health workers conduct COVID-19 virus testing at a mobile test station near LaPerouse in the South Sydney area.

"I think we need to be really careful before we jump ahead to those type of decisions," she said.

"Often the disease transmits more easily in a bus or in a small vehicle where you are transferring people, or when they are in confined spaces for longer periods of time. You have to factor all these things in there."

Ms Berejiklian said despite the best efforts of health authorities and border controls "mistake do happen".

"What's really important to note is that we won't be able to stop these strains of the virus coming to Australia and being in quarantine," she told Today.

"I have confidence in the integrity of the quarantine system, but what we have to accept, and this is the hard reality, mistakes are going to happen because when you've got thousands of people involved in quarantine.

"Even if you have the best rules in place, this virus is so contagious that it can seep out."

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