Four people have tested positive for COVID-19 on NSW's northern beaches in the past 24 hours.
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Visitors will be barred from several NSW aged care homes after a staff member was identified as one of the four people who tested positive on Thursday.
It comes after NSW broke its 12-day streak of no local transmission after a Sydney airport driver tested positive on Wednesday - the shuttle driver from Sydney's south and two from Avalon in the northern beaches - were the first cases of community transmission in the state since December 3.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced two additional northern beaches cases had been detected on Thursday morning - one on the northern end of the peninsula and the other is a Frenches Forest resident.
Two earlier cases were reported on Wednesday: a woman in her 60s and a man in his 70s who live together.
Mr Hazzard refused to comment on reports that the Avalon pair did not self-isolate after testing, and said he was "disappointed" a health worker had made comments about individual cases to the press.
"We have never commented on those particular cases, and we won't, because we want people to always feel comfortable in coming forward," he said.
NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said four of these cases were associated with the Avalon RSL Club, so it was critical that people who visited the club on December 11, get tested.
"The hypothesis is it is an unknown person that was present at the RSL club," Dr Chant said.
Mr Hazzard said he would like the state's daily testing rates to be between 15,000 and 25,000.
"The last couple of days has been a very telling reminder that we are living in the middle of a pandemic," he said.
"in a sense this is a reminder to us, you can't afford to forget the messages of social distancing, wash your hands, any signs of sickness even a bit of fatigue go and get tested."
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
