40,000 coronavirus tests carried out in Sydney

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Saturday a total of nine new coronavirus cases out of 40,000 tests carried out in the Australian state on Christmas Day.

Eight of those cases were linked to the northern beaches of Sydney, known as the Avalon cluster, the premier said during a news conference.

She said however all nine cases were transmitted locally.

Residents of the Northern Beaches would be able to leave their homes for essential reasons only.

People living in the northern part of the Northern Beaches would be allowed to have outdoors gatherings of five, while outdoors gatherings of ten people were allowed in the southern part.

''But I want to stress again, this means no movement to people inside the Northern Beaches,'' Berejiklian said.

She further urged people living in Greater Sydney to avoid the northern beaches.