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21 June, 2021

WA gets strict on NSW travellers, as state and territory borders tighten for Sydney hotspots

By Alexandra Coulton

States and territories have imposed travel restrictions for anyone who has visited hotspots in NSW’s Greater Sydney or Wollongong areas.

Western Australia has gone a step further by almost closing its border to all arrivals from NSW.

Over the weekend, WA’s Chief Health Officer updated the state’s border regulations in light of five new cases resulting from a Sydney cluster sparked by a transport worker.

As of Saturday, all arrivals from NSW will be required to complete a COVID-19 test on arrival and self-quarantine until they return a negative result.

The state is also asking anyone who visited exposure sites in NSW during the time periods mentioned by NSW Health to self-quarantine for 14-days from their date of exposure and get tested immediately.

WA’s Chief Health Minister, Roger Cook, said the latest outbreak in NSW was “very concerning”.

“Our best wishes are with the people of NSW as they work to bring this outbreak under control,” he said.

South Australia and Queensland introduced blanket bans on those who have visited Sydney’s Waverly Council area over the past 14 days, as of Saturday.

SA has also banned those who visited an exposure site listed by NSW Health after 17 June.

Exceptions will be made for returning residents, people relocating to SA and people fleeing domestic violence. However, they will be required to quarantine for 14 days and get tested immediately.

Tasmania, Victoria and the ACT have also closed their borders to those who have visited locations in the Sydney and Illawarra area that have been deemed high risk by their respective health authorities.

QLD flight attendant tests positive, as holidaymakers cop $4,000 fines over border breaches

Meanwhile, Queensland Health has confirmed that an international flight attendant who tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend did not have the Delta variety of the virus as previously suspected.

A public health alert was issued for Brisbane after an Emirates flight attendant in her 30s returned a positive result after she had already completed a 14-day hotel quarantine period.

During her quarantine period, the woman returned negative results, however, a test she completed upon leaving quarantine at 9am returned a positive result that evening.

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Jeannette Young, said the woman visited several locations including Brisbane DFO, Brisbane CBD and a restaurant in Ellen Grove, and urged anyone who visited the locations to get tested immediately.

“Particularly anyone who was at the Airport DFO between 4pm and 4:30pm on Saturday still needs to isolate,” Young said.

“It’s good news the case isn’t the highly transmissible Delta variant, but we do still need to take every precaution.”

State health authorities are still investigating the variant and source of the case.

This came after police on the Sunshine Coast fined a Melbourne couple more than $4,000 each after they allegedly lied on their border passes, according to ABC News.

Police allege the couple lied to obtain a Queensland border declaration pass to travel to Queensland on June 5, after Melbourne had already entered lockdown.

Featured image source: ABC News

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