COVID-19 cluster grows in Sydney, with 17 new cases recorded in NSW

• The COVID-19 cluster in Sydney has grown, after 17 new cases of the coronavirus were recorded in NSW in the last 24 hours
• All of the new cases, bar two, are linked to the Sydney cluster, with 49 people contracting COVID-19 from various sites within the city
• A number of new alerts have gone out for pubs and a service station in Sydney, where infected people visited
• In Victoria, 90 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded today as well as an additional six deaths
• While an estimated 23,000 Australians are stranded oversea, unable to return to Australia since caps were introduced on arrivals

The COVID-19 cluster in Sydney continues to grow, with 17 new cases of coronavirus recorded in NSW in the last 24 hours.

All of the 17 new cases, bar one case in quarantine and another with an unknown source, are linked to the growing Sydney cluster.

The 15 new cases push the total number of people who’ve contracted COVID-19 from various sites within the city, to 49.

17 new cases of #COVID19 were diagnosed in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. Of the 17 new cases:
•One is locally acquired with no known source
•One is a returned traveller in hotel quarantine
•15 are linked to a known case or cluster pic.twitter.com/cpqXDxZQKZ

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) September 2, 2020

Of the Sydney cluster, 8 cases have been linked to sites within the CBD, including a gym, while another six have been traced to St Paul’s College and one to Liverpool Hospital.

A number of new alerts have also been issued for a number of locations across metropolitan Sydney – including a service station and pub. The full list of locations can be found here.

While in neighbouring Victoria, a total of 90 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the state today, as well as six more deaths.

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer used today’s case update to urge people in Melbourne with mild systems to get tested.

Brett Sutton said a recent survey found less than 50 per cent of people with mild symptoms, such as a cough, are getting tested.

“We want 100 per cent of people with compatible symptoms getting tested,” he said.

Meantime, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has revealed the number of Australians stranded abroad, wanting to return to Australia, has grown to 23,000.

Previously, over 18,000 people had expressed interest in returning home with 15 per cent of that number considered vulnerable.

The Federal Government implemented caps on the number of people allowed to arrive in Australia from overseas, in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19.

While, Australia’s borders have been shut since late March, with no official date just yet on when they will re-open for overseas travel.