Sydney hotel quarantine worker tests positive for COVID-19, sparking 'urgent' investigation
NSW has recorded a new case of COVID-19 after a hotel quarantine worker tested positive, ending the state's almost month-long streak of no locally acquired cases.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Thursday morning that the woman from Minto in Sydney's south-west worked at two CBD hotels, including a police quarantine hotel for returning overseas travellers. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is due to address media at 11am AEDT on Thursday.
The woman worked at the Novotel hotel at Darling Harbour, where police manage quarantine, between Saturday, November 28 and Monday, November 30.
She worked at the Ibis hotel at Darling Harbour, a regular non-quarantine hotel, a day earlier on Friday, November 27.
The Novotel and Ibis are sister hotels owned by Accor and are located next door to each other on Murray Street.
NSW Health is asking anyone who worked at the hotels on these dates to get tested and self-isolate.
The Novotel hotel at Darling Harbour, where police manage quarantine.Credit:Brook Mitchell
Anyone who travelled by train from Minto to Central and by light rail from Central to Darling Harbour between November 27 and November 30 should monitor for symptoms.
A NSW Health spokesperson said the source of the new infection remains under investigation.
"Urgent genome sequencing is underway to determine whether this is an infection acquired in the community or through work at the hotel quarantine facility. These results are expected in the next 24 to 48 hours," the spokesperson said.
Mr Hazzard said he was alerted to the new case at 1.22am on Thursday, telling radio station 2GB it was "too early to know" whether the woman contracted the disease from an overseas traveller at the hotel.
Police arrive at the Novotel Darling Harbour on Thrusday.Credit:Brook Mitchell
The minister downplayed the seriousness of the positive case as he backed the state's "gold standard" contact tracers and health authorities.
"I can't say that I'm overly fussed about it," he said.
"We've been doing it for 10 months we're quite confident we'll manage it.
"In the middle of a worldwide pandemic it's a rollercoaster, you've got to expect that we will have more cases from time to time."
The woman's five family members were tested overnight and all returned a negative result for the virus. NSW Health said they will self-isolate for 14 days.
Mr Hazzard said it was unlikely the positive case would affect the major easing of restrictions from Monday.
Josh Dye is a news reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald.