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‘Public health enemy No.1’ charged, denied bail

Anthony Karam has been charged with 13 offences.

Anthony Karam has been charged with 13 offences.

A COVID-positive man who evaded police for weeks for allegedly failing to isolate has been charged by NSW Police.

27-year-old Anthony Karam, described by police as “public health enemy No.1”, was charged on Friday with 13 offences after allegedly breaching public health orders.

The charges include two counts of failing to self-isolate and nine counts of not wearing a face mask indoors, according to a NSW Police statement.

Bankstown Police arrested Mr Karam at his brother’s unit in Sydney’s north-west on Thursday.

Mr Karam was cuffed in full PPE, including a gown and face shield, and escorted from the Wentworth Point complex.

Wentworth Point is a suburb in the city of Parramatta, an LGA of concern currently under the strictest lockdown in the state.

Mr Karam has been denied bail and is in isolation at Bankstown Police Station.

Anthony Karam faces 13 charges after allegedly repeatedly breaching public health orders.

CCTV footage emerged earlier this week of Mr Karam in an apartment complex elevator wearing a dressing gown.

He is seen sneezing several times inside the lift.

Authorities say he was offered a place in hotel quarantine but refused.

NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant took the unusual step earlier this  week of naming Mr Karam in an official statement to the public under the Public Health Act.

“The community is warned to avoid contact with Mr Karam and not approach him,” Dr Chant said in the order.

Mr Karam was told to isolate on August 14 after returning a positive test result.

After health authorities failed to contact the man, police found he had given a false address.

Two others were also charged Thursday for allegedly breaching public health orders, intimidating a security guard and assaulting a police officer in Sydney’s west.

Police found a man and woman in their 40s without face masks in a Wetherill Park shopping centre. The pair claimed they had a medical exemption before becoming aggressive toward police.

NSW Police are appealing to the community to continue to report suspected breaches of public health orders.

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