No new coronavirus cases have been found in New South Wales, after an infected hotel quarantine security guard broke the state s 55 day virus-free streak.
But Gladys Berejiklian admitted health authorities may never determine how the Sofitel Hotel security guard caught the virus.
Genomic testing showed the man, who worked at the Sydney hotel on March 6, had the same highly-contagious UK strain of the virus as a returned traveller at the hotel.
His infection was announced on Sunday and included in Monday s reporting figures, the first to be acquired locally in the state for nearly two months.
But since then, all his household have tested negative and the guard himself remains asymptomatic.
The Sydney hotel quarantine security guard who tested positive for COVID-19 has the more infectious UK strain of the virus as health authorities add a leisure centre in Sydney's south to the list of venues the man visited.
“I would never want to stop a security guard from attending their child’s school . people have lives outside of their jobs,” she said.
The quarantine guard had received his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, but health authorities did not expect it to confer protection so soon after his shot. Dr Chant said the man’s blood was tested on Sunday and there was evidence that he had “some response” to the vaccine.
“We can’t be absolutely certain they can’t be infected [after they have had the vaccine] but what we would suspect is that they may be less likely to pass it on because their viral load might be lower,” Dr Chant said.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned there will be more positive Covid-19 cases after a hotel worker tested positive for the highly contagious UK strain.
The 47-year-old hotel quarantine security guard who works at the Sofitel Wentworth and the Mantra Hotel at Haymarket returned a positive test late on Saturday night, ending the state s 55 day streak.
His four family members have since tested negative and 130 close contacts were asked to self-isolate after working an overnight shift with the man at the Mantra Hotel on Friday.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant on Monday warned that it was likely more cases would recorded as the man visited numerous locations.