Restrictions are tightened in Greater Sydney as NSW records another COVID-19 case.
Social distance restrictions are tightened in Greater Sydney and the health authorities close in on identifying the “missing links” to the outbreak as NSW records another COVID-19 case.
New South Wales has identified a second local case of Covid-19, as social distance restrictions are tightened in Greater Sydney and the health authorities close in on identifying the “missing links” to the outbreak.
The latest incident is the man in his 50s from the eastern suburbs of Sydney who tested positive yesterday.
Nine close contacts of this person have returned negative swabs there, however, NSW Health remains concerned about a swathe of venues around Sydney the cases have visited while infectious.
It has been requested by Premier Gladys Berejiklian to further strengthen the restrictions on social distance.
From 5:00pm today across Greater Sydney including Wollongong, Central Coast and Blue Mountains until 12:01am Monday: The following will be applied:
- Not more than 20 guests (including children) to gather in a family gathering
- Masks are mandatory on public transport and in public indoor venues, including retail, theater, hospitals and aged care facilities.
- House hospitality staff must wear masks
- Drinking while standing at the indoor venue is not allowed
- Singers are not allowed on indoor shows or in indoor worship is not allowed
- Dancing is not allowed in indoor hospitality venues or clubs, except for weddings where no more than 20 people are on the dancefloor together.
- Visitors to aged care facilities must be limited to only two people
NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said that through genomic testing, health investigators found the main source of the infection abroad from Park Royal at Darling Harbor.
However, lab technicians were still trying to find the “missing link” between travelers from the US and the Sydney man.
“This person did not come into contact with a quarantine or border worker, so the genomics were pivotal,” Dr. Chant said.
Sequencing showed that the person tested positive for COVID-19 one day of their quarantine and was moved to the Sydney Health Residence (SHA) on 28 April.
“The thing we’re concerned about is that there’s a missing link here,” Dr. Chant said.
“We can’t find any direct link in our case.”
Premier Berejiklian defended the snap restrictions using “extremely proportional” and “light-touch measures”.
She said there would have been a lockdown if these cases had appeared in the QLD or WA.
“They would shut down the whole city, they would shut down businesses.”
