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Police are considering laying further charges against a Western Sydney woman believed to be the source of a COVID-19 outbreak that has plunged 600,000 people in the NSW Hunter region into lockdown.
Key points:
- Police are "actively compiling evidence" over the breaches
- Police say the woman twice defied orders to return to Sydney
- It's understood she attended multiple Newcastle venues and parties
In a statement, NSW Police outlined how the 21-year-old allegedly lied to authorities and twice defied orders to return to Sydney, before spreading the virus in Newcastle over several days.
Police said the woman was detected on a train at Cardiff Station near Newcastle on Thursday July 29 by officers conducting Opal card checks.
She allegedly told police she had intended to get off at Epping Station in Sydney but had fallen asleep.
She was issued a warning and directed to return to Sydney, but it is believed she continued on to Newcastle to attend a party that night in Shortland.
The police statement said officers were called to an address at Sandgate Road in Shortland at 1:45am on Friday July 30.
There police found two women aged 21 and 20 who had digital drivers licences stating they lived in Sydney's west.
"Both women were directed to return to Sydney and left the location, indicating they would comply with that direction," the police statement said.
"However, investigations have revealed they failed to leave the area.
"Further inquiries have also revealed that both women attended several other locations whilst in the Newcastle City and Lake Macquarie Police Districts."
Police said they were "actively compiling evidence" in relation to the alleged Public Health Order breaches.
It is understood a second party at Blacksmiths Beach, in Swansea, is part of the police inquiry.
Hunter New England Health has confirmed that the August outbreak in the Hunter region originated from a young adult who travelled from Sydney to Newcastle on the train.
"This person stayed in the Hunter between July 28 and August 1, attended multiple venues across the region including licensed venues, shopping centres, a party in Shortland, and the Blacksmiths Beach gathering," said public health physician Dr David Durrheim.
Dr Durrheim said based on the movements of the infected people it is believed several University of Newcastle students contracted the virus while visiting licensed venues in Newcastle.
The total number of COVID cases in the Hunter today reached 77.
