NSW records nine new cases; Queensland doctors defend funeral decision
Queensland medical experts have leapt to the defence of the state's Chief Health Officer after she denied an exemption for a woman in hotel quarantine to attend her father's funeral.
It comes as NSW recorded nine cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday. Victoria recorded 41 new cases and a further seven deaths, taking the national death toll to 810.
Two futher cases have been linked to the Eastern Suburbs Legion Club in Waverley.Credit:Louise Kennerley
There were no new cases in Queensland on Sunday, as Australian Medical Association Queensland president Dr Chris Perry defended Dr Jeanette Young's decision to keep borders shut.
"We believe Queensland should follow the advice of the Chief Health Officer, and if she says the borders should stay closed, we think they should stay closed," he said.
"We would prefer to have fewer funerals than to have more people at those funerals."
Earlier in the week, Dr Young denied 26-year-old Canberra nurse Sarah Caisip's plea to leave hotel quarantine to attend her father's funeral in Brisbane with her grieving mother and sister on Thursday. She later defended her decision.
"The last thing I would want to happen is to have an outbreak at a funeral," Dr Young said.
In Sydney all the new cases linked to known clusters were in people who were self isolating.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said while the number of cases in NSW remained low, the community has to “continue to work hard” to stop the virus taking off again.
“I guess my really strong message now, as we continue to stabilise the numbers, is I don’t want complacency to creep in,” she said.
“Unfortunately until there’s a vaccine we have to be on our guard.”
Two more cases were linked to the Eastern Suburbs Legion Club in Waverley, in household contacts of previously confirmed cases. Two other cases were also household contacts of existing cases which were linked to the St Pauls Catholic College in Greystanes cluster.
As well as the four cases linked to known clusters, another four were in returned overseas travellers, and the source of the last case remains under investigation.
One known case visited the KFC in Concord on September 6 between 1pm and 1.20pm. Anyone who was at the venue within that time is considered a casual contact. Those people should monitor for symptoms and get tested if even the mildest symptoms develop.
More to come