Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video The relevant state or federal police will serve public health orders on those who absconded. The 33 were part of a larger group of 77 medical professionals who had been attending a health convention on board the Roald Amundsen and Scenic Eclipse Antarctic cruises that were unable to berth in South America. Those passengers were among 290 people who arrived at Sydney Airport at 11pm Friday night on two flights from Santiago, Chile. NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller seized on the incident as "another example of members of the community who have not listened to the advice of the government".

Police Commissioner Mick Fuller, Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Police Minister David Elliott on Saturday. Credit:Dean Sewell "This is why we need these restrictions," he said. "People need to take these arrangements seriously or risk heavy fines and/or imprisonment." Loading From Sunday, all passengers arriving on overseas flights will be sent to quarantine in hotels around the city, in an effort overseen by Commissioner Fuller. Previously, passengers were screened and those considered high risk could be ordered into quarantine, while others were asked to self-isolate at home. Passengers will have health checks at the airport before they are taken by bus to a hotel and given a full room, food, communications and healthcare, in what is a partnership between NSW Police, Australian Federal Police, NSW Health, Australian Border Force and the Australian Defence Force.

"We will treat these people with absolute respect and dignity," Commissioner Fuller said. "They’re not criminals, they’re decent Australians returning home." Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned 3000 to 5000 people will continue arriving in Sydney from overseas each day for the foreseeable future, and honesty will be required from returned travellers because new quarantine measures will "not be perfect or foolproof". Premier Gladys Berejiklian at a press conference on Saturday. Credit:Dean Sewell Commissioner Fuller said there will be broad security at the hotels but said there won't be police officers guarding every door. "We're not running a police state," he said. The government expects to use about 10-15 hotels, a silver lining for jobs and the NSW economy.

"What's the good news in that? We need the cooks back, we need the security guards back, we need the concierge back," Commissioner Fuller said. Loading There were 2600 arrivals at Sydney Airport on Saturday and 3000 expected on Sunday. The government was already conducting health checks and sending high-risk passengers to quarantine but now the quarantine applies to everyone. As NSW reached 1617 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, Ms Berejiklian said the quarantine was necessary for public safety and the cost would be covered by taxpayers. "As the largest city in the nation, [we have] the most overseas travellers coming in and we will have between 3000 and 5000 people coming into Sydney every day for the foreseeable future," she said.

"The largest proportion of people acquiring the virus are bringing it from overseas, and then the next category of people are people they have in close contact with. "We know that if we do a really good job in containing the spread at that level, we would do a better job in containing the spread in the broader community." Addressing reporters on Saturday, the national deputy chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, promised fines and even imprisonment for returned travellers who flouted the mandatory hotel quarantine. "The force of law will be there to stop people leaving that hotel and there will be fines, even imprisonment, depending on the state or territory where that arrival takes place," he said.

Ms Berejiklian said NSW would have hundreds of police officers enforcing the orders but urged individuals to "do the right thing". "We understand that some people have had a very stressful time trying to get back home and we really, really want them to consider their position," she said. with Michael Koziol and Eryk Bagshaw Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Sign up to our Coronavirus Update newsletter Get our Coronavirus Update newsletter for the day's crucial developments at a glance, the numbers you need to know and what our readers are saying. Sign up to The Sydney Morning Herald's newsletter here and The Age's here.