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Two locally acquired COVID-19 cases have emerged in Sydney, triggering a change in restrictions to mitigate the spread of the virus.
On Wednesday, NSW Health announced a man in his 50s tested positive. He has not recently travelled overseas, does not work in a hotel quarantine, border or health role, and has not recently travelled interstate. His wife has since also tested positive to the virus.
On Thursday morning, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced new restrictions for Greater Sydney, which she says will last three days.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant has said that genome testing in the past 24 hours has allowed them to understand more about where and how this man may have picked up the virus.
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Household gatherings will be restricted to 20 visitors and masks compulsory in indoor areas across Greater Sydney, as health authorities work to trace two new local COVID-19 infections.
NSW reported two new coronavirus cases on Thursday, after the wife of a man from Sydneyâs eastern suburbs who tested positive on Wednesday morning was also found to have the virus.
A COVID-19 drive through testing clinic in Rose Bay on Thursday was busy.
Credit:Photo: Louise Kennerley
The man, aged in his 50s, had not recently returned from overseas, did not work in quarantine and had no contacts with the hospital system, prompting urgent genomic testing to determine any genetic links to cases in the quarantine system or in other states.
Sydneysiders are bracing themselves for a potential lockdown after a man and his wife tested positive for Covid-19 after visiting several venues in the eastern suburbs
Health experts have three days to work out how Covid spread from a traveller
Testing has linked the cases to a returned US traveller - but there is a missing link
The positive case is a man in his 50s, but he had no contact with quarantine
Restrictions are set to be lifted on Monday at 12.01am - but link must be found
He visited 14 suburbs in Sydney while infected with Covid-19 last weekend
Masks are mandatory, dancing banned and only 20 people are allowed in a home
The wife of the community case has since tested positive, but nine other close contacts have not.
The premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said in response that from 5pm Thursday until 12.01am Monday, restrictions would be implemented in greater Sydney including Wollongong, the Central Coast and Blue Mountains, with visitors to households limited to 20 guests, and masks made compulsory on public transport and in all public indoor venues.
Drinking while standing up at indoor venues will not be allowed, and visitors to aged care facilities will be limited to two people. Dancing will not be allowed at indoor hospitality venues or nightclubs, however dancing is allowed at weddings.