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NSW Health arranging transport for hundreds of Byron Bay Schoolies

NSW Health is today arranging transport for hundreds of Schoolies attendees after a COVID-19 outbreak in Byron Bay.

Around 400-500 students will leave the Discovery Park Byron Bay today after four positive cases were confirmed among guests.

9News understands three charter flights will be provided for the students.

The students will first complete a rapid antigen test (RAT) before boarding flights and buses to Sydney.

READ MORE: New high for NSW COVID-19 cases

"Any individuals who return a positive RAT will be asked to complete a PCR test and await further advice from NSW Health, and must not travel," a spokesperson for Northern NSW Local Health District said.

"On arrival in Sydney, guests must travel by private transport to their place of residence and must get a PCR test on arrival and isolate until a negative result is received.

It's understood the students had been banned from going into town and were only allowed to leave the park if they're going straight back to their homes.

New South Wales today recorded another significant jump in COVID-19 cases on Saturday with 2482 new infections.

READ MORE: Five killed after Tasmanian school jumping castle horror

https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1471963435751460865

Mr Perrottet said yesterday the government will not introduce another lockdown ahead of Christmas for the state.

"It's not time to have a knee jerk response and close down," he said.

Mr Perrottet said as the Newcastle outbreak grows, the government may "tailor" restrictions to the region.

Mr Perrottet said restrictions would not be introduced despite rising case numbers.

"If there are changes that need to be made, we will tailor those changes to the situation in front of us."

The premier encouraged NSW residents to go out and enjoy Christmas.

"I hope everyone goes out and enjoys a fantastic Christmas and catches up with family and friends," Mr Perrottet said.

Superspreader event at Sydney dance party

There are growing concerns that a dance party in Sydney last weekend was a superspreader event.

NSW Health has listed the "On Repeat: Taylor Swift Red Party" at Metro Theatre on December 10 as a close contact exposure site, where some cases are "likely" to be of the Omicron variant.

At least 97 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been linked to the event.

READ MORE: Arrest over alleged $530k fraud of COVID-19 micro-business grant

A Taylor Swift dance party is now the centre of an Omicron outbreak.

Anyone who attended the event from 9pm onwards must get tested and isolate for seven days.

More than 600 people attended the event.

Despite advice from the state's Chief Health Officer, crowds descended on Sydney hospitality venues overnight.

Dr Kerry Chant said earlier this week for NSW residents to avoid social activities due to the state's outbreak.

COVID-19 cluster in Newcastle grows

Another exposure site alert has also been issued this morning for a venue in Newcastle.

Anyone who attended The Great Northern Hotel from midday on Saturday December 11 until close should monitor for symptoms and get tested if they occur.

The Great Northern Hotel in Newcastle has been listed as a casual contact exposure site.

It comes as the COVID-19 outbreak in the Newcastle region continues to grow.

At least 674 of today's infections are from the Hunter New England Local Health District.

This includes 308 from Newcastle and 190 from Lake Macquarie.

There are 2122 active cases of COVID-19 in the Hunter region.

READ MORE: Secret details of three Sydney underworld hits

Some COVID-19 testing clinics have reached capacity in Newcastle.People queue for Covid testing at Honeysuckle in Newcastle, after there was a confirmed case of Covid-19 present last Wednesday at the Argyle House nightclub. Pic taken on December 13, 2021. Photo: Darren Pateman / SMH

Testing queues are continuing to grow today after people were turned away from clinics yesterday after the sites reached capacity.

Two men have been fined for allegedly breaching self-isolation orders and travelling to Newcastle, the epicentre of the state's Omicron outbreak.

The men allegedly were deemed close contacts of the Sydney boat party outbreak but ignored health orders to isolate and attended the Argyle House nightclub on Wharf Road, Newcastle.

More than 200 COVID-19 cases have been linked to the Argyle House nightclub.

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'Anti 5G' necklaces are actually radioactive, scientists warn

Anti-5G conspiracy theorists who have been trying to "protect" themselves from the completely harmless wireless technology with purpose-built necklaces have actually been exposing themselves to radiation.

A safety warning has been issued for Quantum pendants by the Dutch nuclear authority, who warned the anti-5G necklaces are actually radioactive and potentially harmful to human health.

The pendants claim to protect the wearer from 5G signals and other radio frequencies emitted by phone masts, which conspiracy theorists erroneously believe are harmful.

READ MORE: NSW Health apologises to Delta Goodrem for 'offensive' COVID-19 post

Quantum pendants like the one pictured claim to protect the wearer from 5G signals.

However the Dutch authority for nuclear safety and radiation protection (ANVS) has advised the pendants continuously emit ionising radiation, which is harmful over long periods of time.

"Exposure to ionising radiation can cause adverse health effects," the agency said in an alert that warned against 10 products.

"Due to the potential health risk they pose, these consumer products containing radioactive materials are therefore prohibited by law. Ionising radiation can damage tissue and DNA and can cause, for example, a red skin. Only low levels of radiation have been measured on these specific products.

"However, someone who wears a product of this kind for a prolonged period (a year, 24 hours a day) could expose themselves to a level of radiation that exceeds the stringent limit for skin exposure that applies in the Netherlands.

"To avoid any risk, the ANVS calls on owners of such items not to wear them from now on."

READ MORE: What you need to know about Australia's 5G network and how it will affect you

A woman in England walks past an anti-5G graffiti message.

5G became the target of conspiracy theorists and arson attacks when worldwide deployment of the mobile technology began in 2019.

In early 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the wireless network safe.

"To date, and after much research performed, no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure to wireless technologies," it said.

"Health-related conclusions are drawn from studies performed across the entire radio spectrum but, so far, only a few studies have been carried out at the frequencies to be used by 5G.

"Currently, exposure from 5G infrastructures at around 3.5 GHz is similar to that from existing mobile phone base stations."

headline

New high for NSW COVID-19 cases

New South Wales has seen COVID-19 case number skyrocket for the third consecutive day, recording 2482 new infections.

NSW Health said the majority of today's cases are the Omicron variant.

A woman in her 90s from south-west Sydney has died with the virus.

READ MORE: NSW and Victoria scrap 72 hour isolation period for international arrivals

https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1471963435751460865

There are 206 people in hospital and 26 people in intensive care, a slight rise from yesterday.

More than 93 per cent of the state's eligible population is now fully vaccinated.

NSW Health also announced they will only test for the Omicron variant "where it will make a clinical difference to the patient" due to the high number of COVID-19 cases.

"For instance, where it will inform treatment choices as some therapies work with Delta but not for Omicron, and in situations where it will inform public health action," NSW Health said in a statement.

A new exposure site on the state's Central Coast has also been alerted by NSW Health.

Anyone who attended The Savoy at Long Jetty on Saturday December 11 from 7pm until midnight is asked to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.

Meanwhile, the outbreak in Newcastle has continued to grow. Of the state's 2,482 new cases, 899 are in the Hunter New England region.

Four cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Discovery Parks campground in Byron Bay, forcing hundreds of Schoolies to isolate.

A number of Schoolies checked out this morning and have boarded transport to the airport.

The group will be required to get a rapid antigen test before boarding flights back to Sydney.

If they test positive, alternative transport will be arranged.

Victoria records 1504 COVID-19 cases

Victoria has recorded 1504 new COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours.

Seven people have died with the virus.

READ MORE: The pandemic forced Kim Jong Un into retreat. The world should brace for his resurgence

https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1471963420966612993

There are 384 people in hospital with the virus and 84 people in intensive care.

More than 92 per cent of the state over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated.

At least 28 COVID-19 cases have been linked to Melbourne pubs, with 16 connected to The Peel Hotel in Collingwood and 12 to Sircuit Bar in Fitzroy.

One case is confirmed to be the Omicron variant.

More than 700 people will leave isolation today after the infected person visited the two pubs last Friday.

Queensland records 31 new cases

Queensland has reported 31 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, 24 of these were locally acquired.

Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said this is a 20 per cent increase from yesterday.

Dr Gerrard said none of the cases are seriously unwell.

There are 12 more confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Queensland.

https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1471986319312125952

"We expect the omicron strain to become dominant in Queensland in the coming weeks," Dr Gerrard said.

He added the increase in the state's case numbers was to be expected as borders reopened.

"In coming weeks we're going to see very large numbers of cases in the community," he said.

South Australia

South Australia has recorded 73 new COVID-19 cases overnight. Just one of the new infections was recorded in an overseas arrival.

The new cases included eleven teens, two children, 34 women aged between 18 and 67, and 26 men aged between 19 and 74.

A man in his 30s and a man in his 60s are in the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a stable condition.

https://twitter.com/SAHealth/status/1472055230866984963

The state has eight recorded Omicron infections.

Exposure sites continue to grow amid the outbreak.

The below sites are deemed close contact locations.

SA Health says those who attended the below locations must isolate immediately and seek a PCR test. Unvaccinated citizens are required to isolate for 14 days regardless of the result, and the vaccinated for seven.

Full health advice can be found here.

Adelaide – CoCo Fresh Tea and Juice (Patrons and staff)

Saturday 11 December – 2.30pm to 3.10pm

Adelaide – Hi Tea Miyogurt (Patrons)

Saturday 11 December – 1.15pm to 1.45pm

Adelaide – North Indian Cuisine (Patrons and staff)

Friday 10 December – 8.15pm to 9pm

Adelaide – Plain Jane

Friday 10 December – 5pm to 8.30pm

Adelaide – Sofitel (Restaurant and Dining sections)

Friday 10 December – 7am to 1.10pm

Adelaide – Southern Noodle Bar (Patrons and staff)

Saturday 11 December – 1.15pm to 2pm

Adelaide – Sunny's Pizza

Monday 13 December – 6.40pm to 10.30pm

Adelaide – Zap Fitness (Patrons and staff), 41 Currie St

Tuesday 7 December – 1.45pm to 3pm

Eastwood – Commitment Issues Bar and Cafe

Monday 13 December – 12pm to 1.30pm

Magill – KX Pilates (Class participants)

Monday 13 December – 9.30am to 10.30am

Wednesday 15 December – 6pm to 7pm

Prospect – Prospect Bio Nails and Beauty

Wednesday 8 December – 7.15pm to 8.45pm

Stepney – Sushi Train (Patrons and staff)

Sunday 12 December – 12.30pm to 1pm

Windsor Gardens – Derrimut 24:7 Gym

Sunday 12 December – 7.30pm to 8pm

Monday 13 December – 10am to 11am.