- Further restrictions have been introduced in NSW, after another 16 cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the state
- Households are limited to five visitors and hospitality venues are seated service only, while Sydneysiders are encouraged to avoid travelling
- Specifically, those living in Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside, or Woollahra are being asked to stay in their local areas
- The NSW Premier warns further lockdown restrictions could be necessary, while the State’s Health Minister asked residents to take the outbreak seriously
- Four of the 13 new cases haven’t been linked to previous outbreaks, with urgent investigations underway to determine how these people picked up the virus
Further restrictions have been introduced in NSW, after another 16 cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the state.
Sydney households will be limited to a total of five visitors, including children, while hospitality venues were being asked to move to seated service only.
All Sydneysiders were being encouraged to avoid travelling, but especially those living in Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside, or Woollahra.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she couldn’t rule out introducing further restrictions, or even a lockdown, if cases continue to balloon.
“I am not going to rule out further action, I am not gonna rule out what happens beyond a week because we don’t know,” Ms Berejiklian said.
NSW Health minister Brad Hazzard said it was important Sydney residents took this outbreak seriously.
“This is no time for game playing, it is no time for stupidity. This is a very serious situation that we are now in,” Mr Hazzard said.
“This delta virus has shown itself to be very capable of spreading extremely quickly and in circumstances that NSW residents have not experienced in the same way before.”
Four of the 13 new cases recorded overnight are under investigation, as health authorities try to determine how these people picked up the virus.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the four cases were all located in south-eastern Sydney, meaning there were likely more cases going undetected.
“We have also had four cases overnight that we are urgently investigating,” Dr Chant said.
“We know that all either reside or work in the south-eastern Sydney area so that gives us some comfort about the geographical spread but what that means is there are clearly cases unrecognised in that area.”