Scramble in Sydney as new Covid cluster grows

A Covid-19 cluster developing on Sydney's northern beaches has grown to four, as authorities scramble to identify their source just a week out from Christmas.

Twelve consecutive days without any locally acquired cases of Covid in New South Wales ended on Wednesday after a Sydney airport driver was confirmed to have the virus and two mystery cases popped up on the northern beaches.

In total, three new local cases of Covid-19 were uncovered in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday, as well as six cases in hotel quarantine. More than 10,500 tests were conducted over that period.

Another two cases on the northern beaches have been identified since 8pm on Wednesday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed on Thursday.

The two new cases are on opposite ends of the peninsula - one in Frenchs Forest and the other further north.

Seven venues on the northern beaches have been identified as places recently visited by an infected man and woman, primarily in Avalon and Palm Beach.

People started queuing up at Mona Vale Hospital early on Thursday to get tested for the virus and a pop-up testing centre has been established at Avalon.

Ms Berejiklian also flagged some northern beaches nursing homes may be locked down until the outbreak is contained.

"We want to get on top of this and don't want this concerning us in the last few days before Christmas," Ms Berejiklian told reporters.

"There are a number of aged care facilities which are very vulnerable in the northern beaches, so (NSW Health) will also be issuing a directive to say (to) certain aged care facilities on the northern beaches, we're recommending no visitors until we identify the source of the infection and feel more confident that we have it under control."

The latest outbreak has also prompted concerns about whether the recently-opened Queensland and WA borders will again be shut to people from NSW over Christmas.

WA Premier Mark McGowan didn't rule out reimposing restrictions if further infections were detected in NSW, saying "if the advice comes back that we need to put up a hard border, then we will".

Acting Queensland Premier Steven Miles said the government was not considering fresh border restrictions at this stage, saying the next 48 hours would be important.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard implored the two states to avoid "pre-emptive" action.

"My blood pressure hasn't gone up, my pulse hasn't gone up, we're just doing what we do in NSW - handling the cases," he told reporters on Thursday.

The first two northern beaches cases - a woman in her 60s and a man in his 70s - are close contacts of each other but authorities have not found a source for their infections.

NSW Health is urgently undertaking genomic sequencing and contact tracing to stem the damage and identify the source of the infections.

The cases were identified just hours after a 45-year-old driver transporting international air crew members to and from Sydney Airport was confirmed Covid-positive.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant told reporters on Wednesday the southwest Sydney man worked only with air crew members and was not involved in regular taxi services for the public. He also wore a mask while working.

But Mr Hazzard said a stronger quarantine regime for international air crew members may be required to eliminate future risk - likely by placing air crew in full hotel quarantine until their flight back out of Australia, which usually occurs within 72 hours.

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