NSW Health has this afternoon confirmed that St Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church and The Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Wollongong were visited by confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Anyone who attended the following venues at the listed times must get tested immediately and self-isolate until they receive further advice from NSW Health:
- St Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church, 39 Atchison St, Wollongong. On Sunday, December 27, 9am-10.15am.
- The Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church, 18 Stewart St, Wollongong. On Sunday, December 27, 10.30am-11am.
Following this announcement from NSW Health, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia has issued a message to parishioners tonight, urging them to follow the government’s rules.
“With a sense of pastoral responsibility, we once again urge our philanthropic people and all citizens to follow state rules and experts’ instructions on protecting public health and preventing the spread of the pandemic,” a statement from the Archdiocese reads.
Also listed in the public health alert were venues in Figtree and Mona Vale. Anyone who visited any of the following venues at the listed times is considered a casual contact who must get tested immediately and isolate until a negative result is received:
- Figtree Grove Shopping Centre, 19 Princes Hwy, Figtree. On Monday 21 December, 12.30pm-1.30pm, Wednesday 23 December, 8.45am-9am, and Thursday 24 December, 6.45am-9.30am.
- Proust Optical, Shop 49, Figtree Grove Shopping Centre, 19 Princes Hwy. On Monday 21 December, 9.30am-5pm, and Wednesday 23 December, 9.30am-2pm. Close contacts from this venue will be contacted by NSW Health.
- Pittwater Place, 10 Park St, Mona Vale. All day on all the following dates: Sunday 13 December, Monday 14 December, Tuesday 15 December, Wednesday 16 December, Thursday 17 December, Friday 18 December, Saturday 19 December.
- Wollongong Central, 200 Crown St, Wollongong. On Wednesday 23 December, 3.30pm-4pm.
This news comes as NSW recorded three locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, with an additional six cases in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
All three of today’s locally acquired cases were linked to the Avalon cluster. They had all been identified as contacts of known cases and were in isolation when they tested positive. Investigations continue into the source of the Avalon cluster, which now numbers 129.
