Restrictions announced after NSW records another local case of COVID-19, health authorities race to establish source


File photo: People are seen crossing a street at Sydney CBD (January, 2020)

NSW on Thursday recorded another local case of Covid-19 – its second locally transmitted case in the state in over a month – the first being a man from the Eastern Suburbs on Wednesday, and the second, his wife, who yielded a positive result on Thursday.

Although nine other close contacts of the man have yielded a negative result, NSW Health, concerned over the large exposure sites the man had visited in the previous few days, have decided to reimpose a few restrictions from Thursday, 5:00 p.m.

  • Masks cumpulsory on public transports and in public indoor venues including retail, theatres, hospitals and aged care facilities.
  • Only 20 people (including children) allowed to gather in a household.
  • Drinking while standing in indoor venue prohibited.
  • Visitors to aged care facilities limited to two people,
  • Singing and dancing at indoor venues not allowed – except for weddings, wherein it is recommneded no more than 20 people at the dancefloor at one time.

Meanwhile, health authorities, concerned over the fact that the primary case had not been overseas, or did not work in border control or hotel quarantine, are racing to trace the source of infection.

Authorities are investigating whether the case is genetically linked to anyone in the quarantine system or cases in other states, and are also checking which virus variant is involved.