NSW Health can confirm a traveller has been infected with the Omicron COVID-19 variant of concern, bringing the total number of cases to seven in NSW.

The Omicron variant was identified by NSW Health following ongoing genomic sequencing of confirmed COVID-19 cases who have recently returned from overseas.

The person arrived on flight QR908 from Doha to Sydney on 23 November. The person is isolating in the Special Health Accommodation with their family. Two other members of their household are confirmed cases of COVID-19 and urgent genomic sequencing is underway to confirm they have also been infected with the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

These travellers have not been in southern Africa and NSW Health is concerned transmission may have occurred on this flight. 

NSW Health is now requesting every person who was on flight QR908 from Doha to Sydney on 23 November immediately get a PCR test and isolate while waiting further health advice. 

NSW Health will contact all passengers and flight crew to advise them of their isolation requirements. They can also call NSW Health on 1800 943 553 for further advice.

NSW Health advises the following venue was visited by the traveller:

Anyone who attended the venue at the times listed is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received. You should continue to monitor for symptoms and if any symptoms occur, get tested again.

Please get tested even if you have had a test in recent days. If your test result is negative, please continue to monitor for symptoms and if any symptoms appear, get tested and isolate again.

In line with Commonwealth measures, all travellers arriving in NSW who have been in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini and Malawi during the 14-day period before their arrival in NSW must enter hotel quarantine for 14 days, irrespective of their vaccination status.

All fully vaccinated travellers who have been in any other overseas country during the 14-day period before their arrival in NSW must travel directly to their place of residence or accommodation and isolate for 72 hours. They will only be able to exit isolation at the end of the 72-hour period if they have received a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken after arrival in NSW. These people must also complete a PCR test on day six after arrival.

Any passengers aged 18 years and over who are not fully vaccinated go directly into 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine. 

Anyone who has already arrived in NSW who has been in any of the eight African countries within the previous 14 days must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, and call NSW Health on 1800 943 553.

Penalties for non-compliance with the isolation, testing and quarantine requirements have increased to $5,000 for individuals (from $1,000), and $10,000 for corporations (from $5,000).