Sydney’s Northern Beaches to lock down amid NSW records 13 new cases

Sydney's Northern Beaches will be locked down from 5:00pm today (Saturday) until midnight on Wednesday after 13 new COVID-19 infections were confirmed by Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Ms Berejiklian said there were 23 cases identified from testing in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday, 10 of which had already been reported. Twenty-one of those cases were locally acquired and linked to the Avalon cluster, and two remain under investigation.

"Given what we know from the testing, given what we know from the likely number of cases, we are going to put in health orders for the northern beaches from five o'clock today to essentially go back to the restrictions people experienced in March," she said.

The reasons permitted for leaving home are work, for compassionate grounds, for exercise and for shopping.

Ms Berejiklian also flagged that restrictions could be extended across Greater Sydney if it was warranted.

"I should say, to put everybody on notice, we will be considering today after consulting obviously the relevant people, whether this time tomorrow we do revert back to some restrictions in Greater Sydney, but we are still considering that," she said.

"I just want to put everybody on notice that that is a possibility and that will depend on the health advice sent to us during the course of the day."

All of NSW is on high alert following the swell in new cases, with residents from all of Sydney told to get tested if they display even minor symptoms.

The Premier has urged residents of Greater Sydney not to go out “unless you have to” as the northern beaches is placed under restrictions from 5pm today.

“I want to make that clear, to say to Greater Sydney, please, please, do not go out tonight or the next few days unless you really have to do," Gladys Berejiklian urged on Saturday.

“Please don't leave your home unless you have to. Obviously do the basics you need to do, move around as you would, do not go to the northern beaches if you live outside the northern beaches, unless you absolutely, absolutely must, and limit your activity.

The Premier noted infectious people from the northern beaches had attended a number of venues across Greater Sydney throughout December.

A total of 21 Sydney beaches have been closed on the city’s northern beaches, with residents from the region advised to stay indoors.

COVID alerts have been issued for venues in Darling Point, Rosebery, Penrith, Cronulla, Kirribilli, Lane Cove, Turramurra and Woolloomooloo, amid a fear it could spread to other areas.

Health officials on the Central Coast have confirmed a local resident has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and they are self-isolating at their home.