New COVID cluster at Batemans Bay Soldiers Club

A new COVID-19 cluster has been identified at Batemans Bay Soldier's Club on the NSW south coast.

Eight cases have been linked to the venue and anyone who attended the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club on July 13, 15, 16 and 17 must immediately be tested for COVID-19 and self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of symptoms.

“Everyone must stay in isolation for a full 14 days even if their test is negative," NSW Health said in a statement. "Anyone who develops COVID-19 symptoms should also be retested, even if they have had a negative result previously.”

The positive results are four family members who dined at the club, two further cases who dined at the club, a close contact of the cases and a staff member.

Contact tracing for all those who attended the club during this period is underway.

Testing is continuing in Batemans Bay at a pop-up clinic at the Hanging Rock Oval Car Park on Beach Rd and another pop-up clinic will be established.

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance told Nine’s Today that “hundreds and hundreds” of people who attended the Soldiers Club last week have been advised to go into isolation.

“This is obviously devastating news to our community and we have to make sure everybody isolates, everybody gets tested and stick to the critical rules that are there to keep us safe,” he said.

Constance said Batemans Bay was home to a large retiree population so it was crucial people followed the directions.

The biggest cluster in NSW is associated with the Crossroads Hotel in Casula. The total number of cases associated with the cluster is 45, including 14 people who attended the hotel on July 3, one who attended on July 5, and 30 who are linked to the cluster but who did not attend the hotel.