Regions on high alert for infection

REGIONAL NSW is on high alert after a COVID-19 infected Sydney teenager went camping in the state’s west stopping off in major country towns along the way.

The 18-year-old’s case came in addition to four other community transmissions in NSW reported on Tuesday morning from 26,000 tests. None of the new cases announced on Tuesday were linked to the Northern Beaches.

The teenager tested positive after leaving Berala and went to Orange, Nyngan and then Broken Hill for a camping trip over the weekend. He went for a test after waking up with a runny nose on Monday.

“This is a reminder of what can occur for people moving out of Sydney,” Acting NSW Premier John Barilaro said. “Let’s see what happens over the next couple of days, let’s see what happens with his mates being tested ... he was camping so that gives us some hope.”

Meanwhile, a popular Cronulla beauty expert has insisted she tested negative for COVID-19 twice before she was twice fined by police for allegedly breaching COVID-19 public health orders.

NSW Police said Jess Barca, 27, was notified she needed to get a COVID-19 test and selfisolate for two weeks after she reportedly came into contact with a positive case of COVID-19.

Officers from Tweed/Byron Police District attended a Byron resort at 8.30pm on New Year’s Eve after reports she was allegedly breaching the self-isolation order.

Ms Barca told 7 News soon after: “I’m a double negative result.”

In NSW, there have been 44 cases of coronavirus locally acquired in seven days, all linked to known clusters. Five more are under investigation. A further 42 cases are in hotel quarantine.