Michael Ejercito
2021-11-28 16:11:39 UTC
http://www.reddit.com/r/LockdownSkepticism/comments/r3z6vw/australias_first_two_cases_of_omicron_variant/
Australia’s first two cases of Omicron variant detected in Sydney
By Jenny Noyes and Mary Ward
Updated November 28, 2021 — 5.23pmfirst published at 6.47am
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For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here.
Two international flight passengers who tested positive to COVID-19
after arriving in Sydney have been confirmed as Australia’s first cases
of the new Omicron variant of concern, after urgent genomic sequencing
was completed on Sunday.
The pair were passengers on Qatar Airways flight QR908 from Doha which
landed at Sydney Airport at about 7pm on Saturday. They have been in
isolation in special health accommodation since their arrival.
Premier Dominc Perrottet giving an update on COVID-19 quarantine in NSW.
Premier Dominc Perrottet giving an update on COVID-19 quarantine in NSW.
CREDIT:NINE NEWS
In a statement, NSW Health said the pair were asymptomatic and both
fully vaccinated.
The other 260 passengers on the flight are now considered close contacts
of a COVID-19 case and have been directed by health authorities to isolate.
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“It is an offence not to comply with a Public Health Order and penalties
can apply,” NSW Health said. “Close contacts will be contacted
regularly, and compliance checks will be undertaken.”
In a statement on Sunday morning, NSW Health confirmed testing on
arrival at Sydney Airport had identified two of the 14 passengers on the
flight who had recently been in southern Africa had COVID-19, and urgent
genomic sequencing was being carried out to determine whether they were
infected by the new Omicron B.1.1.529 variant.
It came hours after federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced a
two-week ban on non-citizens arriving from South Africa, Namibia,
Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique.
Australian citizens arriving from those countries are now required to
enter 14 days of supervised quarantine upon arrival in Australia.
Another 15 arrivals from southern Africa arrived at Sydney Airport on an
Emirates flight which landed around 11pm. All 29 have entered hotel
quarantine.
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“The clear point today is that this clearly demonstrates the pandemic is
not over,” Premier Dominic Perrottet said earlier on Sunday.
“We need to learn to live alongside the virus and to live alongside the
various strains of the virus that will come our way, and the best thing
we can do is get vaccinated and get booster shots.”
The Premier added that there were “limits” to what the government could
do going forward to keep new variants out of Australia.
“These variants will get into the country, it is inevitable,” Mr
Perrottet said.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said it was possible the Omicron variant
has already entered NSW, where fully vaccinated international arrivals
have not been required to enter hotel quarantine since November 1.
Advertisement
RELATED ARTICLE
The World Health Organisation has named the latest variant Omicron.
Updated
Coronavirus pandemic
What we know about Omicron, the new coronavirus variant
“This Omicron variant of the COVID virus is not well understood at this
point,” Mr Hazzard said, noting that it only took three weeks for the
Delta variant to spread to 53 countries.
“We have to expect that Omicron may already be here.”
NSW has so far recorded no cases of the Omicron variant in its genomic
sequencing program.
The state recorded another 185 cases of COVID-19 and zero deaths in the
24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, NSW Health reported Sunday morning.
Advertisement
Anyone who has already arrived in Australia and has been in any of the
countries within the past 14 days, must immediately isolate themselves
and get tested.
Mr Hazzard asked anyone who had been in southern Africa in the past 14
days to immediately contact NSW Health.
In addition, both NSW and Victoria moved on Saturday night to introduce
72-hour isolation requirements for all fully vaccinated international
arrivals, regardless of their country of departure.
On Sunday, the Premier stressed this was a “short-term precaution” in
light of the changing situation.
Europe, Britain and a host of other countries have also closed their
borders to non-residents arriving from the same countries due to the
emergence of the variant.
Advertisement
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said there was one existing case of
COVID-19 from southern Africa currently isolating at the Howard Springs
quarantine facility in the Northern Territory, and that case will also
be examined further to determine whether it is the concerning new variant.
Despite concerns Omicron may be highly transmissible – even more so than
Delta – Mr Perrottet said the state government was not planning to make
any changes to the post-lockdown reopening road map, with restrictions
still set to ease for unvaccinated people on December 15.
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important
and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.
Australia’s first two cases of Omicron variant detected in Sydney
By Jenny Noyes and Mary Ward
Updated November 28, 2021 — 5.23pmfirst published at 6.47am
Save
Share
Normal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text size
For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here.
Two international flight passengers who tested positive to COVID-19
after arriving in Sydney have been confirmed as Australia’s first cases
of the new Omicron variant of concern, after urgent genomic sequencing
was completed on Sunday.
The pair were passengers on Qatar Airways flight QR908 from Doha which
landed at Sydney Airport at about 7pm on Saturday. They have been in
isolation in special health accommodation since their arrival.
Premier Dominc Perrottet giving an update on COVID-19 quarantine in NSW.
Premier Dominc Perrottet giving an update on COVID-19 quarantine in NSW.
CREDIT:NINE NEWS
In a statement, NSW Health said the pair were asymptomatic and both
fully vaccinated.
The other 260 passengers on the flight are now considered close contacts
of a COVID-19 case and have been directed by health authorities to isolate.
Advertisement
“It is an offence not to comply with a Public Health Order and penalties
can apply,” NSW Health said. “Close contacts will be contacted
regularly, and compliance checks will be undertaken.”
In a statement on Sunday morning, NSW Health confirmed testing on
arrival at Sydney Airport had identified two of the 14 passengers on the
flight who had recently been in southern Africa had COVID-19, and urgent
genomic sequencing was being carried out to determine whether they were
infected by the new Omicron B.1.1.529 variant.
It came hours after federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced a
two-week ban on non-citizens arriving from South Africa, Namibia,
Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique.
Australian citizens arriving from those countries are now required to
enter 14 days of supervised quarantine upon arrival in Australia.
Another 15 arrivals from southern Africa arrived at Sydney Airport on an
Emirates flight which landed around 11pm. All 29 have entered hotel
quarantine.
Advertisement
“The clear point today is that this clearly demonstrates the pandemic is
not over,” Premier Dominic Perrottet said earlier on Sunday.
“We need to learn to live alongside the virus and to live alongside the
various strains of the virus that will come our way, and the best thing
we can do is get vaccinated and get booster shots.”
The Premier added that there were “limits” to what the government could
do going forward to keep new variants out of Australia.
“These variants will get into the country, it is inevitable,” Mr
Perrottet said.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said it was possible the Omicron variant
has already entered NSW, where fully vaccinated international arrivals
have not been required to enter hotel quarantine since November 1.
Advertisement
RELATED ARTICLE
The World Health Organisation has named the latest variant Omicron.
Updated
Coronavirus pandemic
What we know about Omicron, the new coronavirus variant
“This Omicron variant of the COVID virus is not well understood at this
point,” Mr Hazzard said, noting that it only took three weeks for the
Delta variant to spread to 53 countries.
“We have to expect that Omicron may already be here.”
NSW has so far recorded no cases of the Omicron variant in its genomic
sequencing program.
The state recorded another 185 cases of COVID-19 and zero deaths in the
24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, NSW Health reported Sunday morning.
Advertisement
Anyone who has already arrived in Australia and has been in any of the
countries within the past 14 days, must immediately isolate themselves
and get tested.
Mr Hazzard asked anyone who had been in southern Africa in the past 14
days to immediately contact NSW Health.
In addition, both NSW and Victoria moved on Saturday night to introduce
72-hour isolation requirements for all fully vaccinated international
arrivals, regardless of their country of departure.
On Sunday, the Premier stressed this was a “short-term precaution” in
light of the changing situation.
Europe, Britain and a host of other countries have also closed their
borders to non-residents arriving from the same countries due to the
emergence of the variant.
Advertisement
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said there was one existing case of
COVID-19 from southern Africa currently isolating at the Howard Springs
quarantine facility in the Northern Territory, and that case will also
be examined further to determine whether it is the concerning new variant.
Despite concerns Omicron may be highly transmissible – even more so than
Delta – Mr Perrottet said the state government was not planning to make
any changes to the post-lockdown reopening road map, with restrictions
still set to ease for unvaccinated people on December 15.
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important
and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.
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https://www.avg.com