Sydney COVID outbreak has Australia on edge as prospect of closed state borders looms

Just as Australians were starting to feel like their lives were returning to normal, new and concerning COVID clusters have begun to emerge.

A cluster of 17 new infections in Sydney’s Northern Beaches now has health authorities back on high alert and everyday Aussies facing the prospect that newly opened state borders may snap shut again before Christmas.

The source of the new Sydney cases remains a mystery.

Fifteen new cases were identified on Thursday, with health authorities urging locals…