Backpackers in Sydney's eastern suburbs have been warned by other travellers to stop flouting physical-distancing rules.
Key points:
- Backpackers said hostels were not ideal places to self-isolate
- Many confirmed coronavirus cases were linked back to two parties in Sydney and Bondi
- NSW Health is attempting to establish a pop-up coronavirus clinic in Bondi
NSW Health this morning ordered doctors in Bondi to increase coronavirus testing and warned people to be wary of "infected backpackers" amid a cluster of cases in the eastern suburbs.
The state's chief medical officer Kerry Chant said her team was working with St Vincent's Hospital to set up a pop-up coronavirus clinic in Bondi.
Many people at the tourist hotspot are still ignoring the restrictive measures introduced by the Federal Government.
Last night, a group of people was seen gathered on the balcony of Noahs Backpacker Hostel in Bondi.
Emi Franzen from Argentina, who is staying at the same hostel in a private room after people he came in contact with tested positive for the virus, said he was regularly seeing people flout the guidelines.
"The rules are the rules, we have to control our behaviour, it's for everyone and not just us," he said.
He said while it was the case many people around him weren't able to keep up with the rapid introduction of new quarantine measures, some backpackers were just blatantly ignoring them.
Dagna Raczkiewicz, who was travelling around Australia on a holiday visa before being evacuated back to Poland tomorrow, said it was unfair to group backpackers together.
"It's a huge group of people in the same situation as everyone else," Ms Raczkiewicz said.
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She said people in her hostel, some of whom were finding it difficult to isolate in such close quarters, would regularly see Australians flouting the physical distancing rules along the beach.
"To me, the backpackers here in Bondi in general… are following the rules."
Many of the confirmed COVID-19 cases were traced back to two parties held on March 15.
Photos and videos posted on social media at Club 77 in Darlinghurst and the Back to Boogie Wonderland at the Bucket List bar in Bondi showed people dancing and kissing.
It is understood there was an afterparty held beneath the Oxford Hotel in Darlinghurst, where several attendees from the Bondi event continued onto.
Self-isolation orders for international arrivals were announced earlier that day but mass gatherings weren't yet banned.
One Spanish citizen living in Bondi who was self-isolating after losing his job told the ABC he was forced to kick out his European roommate for being "irresponsible".
"People aren't conscious about the situation," he said.
Your questions on coronavirus answered:
"Yesterday we had to say to a roommate to leave because she was out all the time, out in different houses and [with] many different people … without [thinking] about me and my flatmates.
"Like many people, [she] thinks that nothing happens and is just looking after herself."
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