After being exposed to Covid-19, hundreds of revellers in nightclubs were ordered to be isolated.
NSW Health issued a late Sunday night alert at The Argyle House, Newcastle. This alert identified all participants as close contact after Covid was transmitted to the premises on December 8.
The cluster is linked to a boat party five nights earlier on Sydney Harbour where at least five people caught the virus.
The number of infected people associated with the The Argyle House outbreak at nightclub is 24, including some ‘likely’ to be the Omicron variant, NSW Health said.
Over 700 individuals who attended The Argyle House in Newcastle (pictured), on December 8, have been asked to be tested for alcohol and isolated for seven days
Close contacts are anyone who were present in the nightclub from 9pm on December 8 to 3am on Dec 9, and they must get tested for close contact. They will be isolated for seven days and the results of any test.
This rule is applicable to all 680 persons who used the QR code to check in that night, and anyone else. You did not log in.
Anybody who went to the nightclub with their family members is asked to be tested right away and isolated until close contacts are positive.
According to NSW Health, the announcement follows the recent epidemics at the Albion Hotel Parramatta and Oxford Tavern at Petersham as well as the Cult Nightclub at Potts Point, Cult Nightclub at Potts Point, and party boat cruises on Sydney Harbour.
“NSW Health is worried about the increased transmission occurring in larger social venues like these. We urge people to not attend any social functions if there are symptoms even mild.
This nightclub cluster was born out of an outbreak that occurred on Sydney’s party cruise December 3, (pictured).
Newcastle had its first Omicron case, which was a female traveller returning from Britain who arrived in Newcastle on Sunday.
The latest alert was issued hours after NSW recorded Australia’s first hospital admission of Omicron
On Sunday, 485 cases of Covid-19 were reported in the state. The number of Omicron infection cases rose to 55. At least 62 cases are reported in Australia.
Officials at the hospital confirmed that one Omicron patient was admitted. This is the first Australian admission with this variant.
These are just a few of the 156 Covid victims being treated at hospital in NSW.
Australia recorded the first Omicron variant-related hospitalization.
NSW Health has warned that Omicron cases could increase as genomic testing results are revealed.
After two days with more than 500 infections, the NSW Covid case numbers have dropped slightly.
One of the deaths was recorded in his 70s, while another in his 80s. Both of them were not vaccinated.
The state had on Saturday recorded the highest number of cases since October 9, two days before lockdown lifted.
Dozens of demonstrators took to Sydney’s Hyde Park on Sunday to protest the introduction of vaccine mandates across several industries.
Omicron was admitted to Australia’s first hospital by health officials as anti-vaccine protestors packed Sydney streets.
On Wednesday, existing restrictions such as density limits, QR-ins risk sites, and masks will likely be lifted.
The freedoms of those over 16 years old who have not been fully vaccinated in NSW will be increased.
Experts warn that cases could continue rising if restrictions are relaxed.
Weekend Today spoke to Sanjaya Senanayake on Sunday, a specialist in infectious diseases.
“However, New South Wales has been very well vaccinated and we hope to be able contain the increasing number of cases.”
NSW currently has 55 Omicron case records and this number is likely to increase.
Victoria saw 1069 deaths and Victoria witnessed two new cases. Queensland also had one.
Returned traveler from Nigeria, currently quarantined in hotel rooms, is ‘likely to’ have the Omicron version.
‘We’re very closely following his genomic sequencing results which should be available in the next two days … obviously very interested whether this maybe Omicron,’ deputy chief health officer James Smith said.