Residents living in the Penrith Local Government Area (LGA) are now able to travel to the Northern Territory and ACT after travel restrictions were lifted.
The Northern Territory revoked the COVID-19 hot spot status of the Penrith LGA, meaning locals can travel to the top end without needing to quarantine.
Restrictions were put in place several weeks ago while NSW was dealing with the Berala cluster, with fears that it would continue to spread across Sydney.
But NSW Health authorities have managed to largely contain the spread, with Premier Gladys Berejiklian saying the state is now in a “mopping up” phase.
Several LGAs remain locked out of the Northern Territory including Blacktown, Canada Bay, Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Parramatta, Cumberland, Inner West, Burwood and Strathfield.
Meantime the ACT, which had also implemented travel restrictions, this afternoon confirmed that the Penrith LGA would no longer be regarded a hot spot.
There are currently no active cases of COVID-19 in Penrith and the area has escaped any venue alerts ever since a Penrith RSL scare before Christmas, related to the Avalon cluster.
This morning, NSW Health confirmed a man who visited Mount Druitt Hospital over the weekend and his partner had both been diagnosed with COVID-19. Investigations continue into the origin of the cases.
Troy Dodds
Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.