COVID-19 Update – Victoria, NSW

Media release – Dr Mark Veitch, Director of Public Health, Department of Health, 5 January 2021

COVID-19 Update – Victoria, NSW

Tasmanian Public Health officials continue to monitor COVID-19 developments in Victoria and NSW to assess the risk and make appropriate changes to advice and restrictions to protect the Tasmanian community.

Recent locally acquired cases in Victoria are all directly or indirectly related to the Smile Buffalo Thai Restaurant in Black Rock.

Tasmania has now designated 18 premises in Victoria as high-risk premises. These are listed here: https://coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travellers-and-visitors/coming-to-tasmania/travel-alert#victoriahigh. As Victorian investigations and responses proceed, new information will result in changes to lists of potential exposure settings.

Anyone who was at any of these high-risk premises at the specified dates and times will not be allowed to enter Tasmania for at least 14 days after their last time at the premises, unless approved by the Deputy State Controller. It should be noted that these people are already subject to mandatory quarantine in Victoria.

A longer list of premises visited by cases in this cluster is available here: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/case-locations-and-outbreaks. If you are now in Tasmania and have been in Victoria since 20 December, please check this list every day.

If you have been at any of the Victorian sites at the specified dates and times, contact the Tasmanian Public health Hotline on 1800 671 738 for further advice. An SMS is being sent daily to all persons in Tasmania who were recently in Victoria to reinforce this advice.

NSW Health continues to manage a cluster of cases in Sydney related to the BWS Berala premises in Western Sydney. NSW Health is undertaking intense contact tracing and testing of people who have visited this liquor store between 20 and 31 December.

NSW Health is managing a man from western Sydney who was infected at the Berala BWS on Christmas Eve before travelling to Broken Hill, Orange and Nyngan last Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 January while unknowingly infectious. While there is not yet any evidence of community transmission as a result of this case, persons in Tasmania who have been in NSW since 20 December are again reminded to check the list of potential exposure sites at

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates every day.

If you have been at any of the NSW sites at the specified dates and times, contact the Tasmanian Public health Hotline on 1800 671 738 for further advice. An SMS is being sent today to all persons in Tasmania who were recently in NSW to reinforce this advice.

Tasmania currently lists the Greater Sydney region and the Wollongong Local Government Area (LGA) as medium-risk locations. This means that persons who were in these locations in the 14 days before arriving in Tasmania are required to enter quarantine, usually at home or a suitable premises. Anyone who does not have a suitable premises is required to quarantine at a government facility at their own expense. The Northern Beaches LGA remains designated as a high-risk location.

Please remember if you experience any symptoms, even if they are mild, contact the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 to arrange a test.