NSW warns of 'inherent risk' on public transport as 18 coronavirus cases detected
NSW residents are being urged to avoid non-essential travel and social gatherings after 18 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded on Sunday.
As thousands of students prepare to return to school on Monday, Transport Minister Andrew Constance has warned there is a risk to travelling on public transport as the the state battles virus outbreaks.
NSW residents are being urged to get tested even if they have the mildest of symptoms. Credit:Dean Sewell
Mr Constance urged people to consider commuting in different ways. He said there was an “inherent risk” to travelling on public transport and said walking or cycling could be better options.
NSW Health said the 18 cases on Sunday - an increase from 15 on Saturday - included a new locally acquired case who went to Holy Duck! restaurant in Chippendale on July 10 between 7.15pm and 9.30pm.
The restaurant was closed on Saturday night and is being cleaned. All close contacts are being identified.
NSW Health is directing everyone who attended the restaurant on July 10 between 7.15pm and 9.30pm to immediately self-isolate for 14 days.
One case visited the Anytime Fitness Gym in Merrylands on July 14 from 9pm to 10.30 pm.
NSW Health said people who attended the gym at this time should also self-isolate for 14 days.
The new cases included one person linked to the Crossroads Hotel cluster who went to Planet Fitness gym at Casula, which had previously been reported.
They also include four people who visited the Thai Rock Restaurant in Stockland Mall Wetherill Park, and a close contact of a case who was at the restaurant.
Five of the new cases are overseas travellers in hotel quarantine. Three of the cases - two in Sydney's south and one in south-west Sydney - have no known links to clusters.
Two people are members of the same household that involved two cases reported on Saturday. One case is a close contact of a case that has previously been reported.
One case remains under investigation.
There were 25,917 tests carried out in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, compared with the record 27,702 tests in the previous 24 hours.
NSW Health said in a statement on Sunday people should avoid non-essential travel and gatherings and urged residents to "redouble their efforts to stop the virus spreading".
"Of particular concern is transmission in venues such as hotels and restaurants, the gym and social gatherings," it said.
Health authorities said people should not host, or go to, a gathering of more than 10 people at home. They should also avoid going to the gym "unless the equipment is thoroughly cleaned before and after customer use by supervising staff or yourself, and there is good spacing between machines and customers".
Woolworths at Spring Farm, near Camden, underwent an "additional deep clean" overnight as "an extra precautionary measure" overnight after a worker tested positive.
Also on Sunday, Australia’s largest Maronite Catholic church said it had closed for cleaning after a parishioner tested positive for COVID-19.