New restrictions announced as 31 cases linked to Bondi cluster – Wednesday, 23 June 2021

NSW recorded 10 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 yesterday and an additional 13 new cases overnight, bringing the number of known cases linked to the Bondi cluster to 31.

New restrictions

To protect the people of NSW from the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, new restrictions will be introduced for Greater Sydney from 4pm today for one week.

Following updated health advice from the Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant about the growing risk to the community, the following restrictions will be introduced for Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour.

• Visitors to households will be limited to 5 guests – including children;
• Masks will be compulsory in all indoor non-residential settings, including workplaces, and at organised outdoor events;
• Drinking while standing at indoor venues will not be allowed;
• Singing by audiences at indoor shows or by congregants at indoor places of worship will not be allowed;
• Dancing will not be allowed at indoor hospitality venues or nightclubs however, dancing is allowed at weddings for the bridal party only (no more than 20 people);
• Dance and gym classes limited to 20 per class (masks must be worn);
• The one person per four square metre rule will be re-introduced for all indoor and outdoor settings, including weddings and funerals;
• Outdoor seated events will be limited to 50% seated capacity;
• Previous public transport capacity limits, represented by green dots, will be reintroduced;
• If you live or work in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside, and Woollahra local government areas, you cannot travel outside metropolitan Sydney for non-essential travel.

From 4pm yesterday (Tuesday) until 12.01am on Thursday 1 July 2021, masks are mandatory in certain public indoor venues in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour. These venues include retail, theatres and aged care facilities. Masks are also mandatory for front-of-house hospitality staff.

Masks also continue to be mandatory on public transport in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour.

People are also reminded to avoid non-essential visits to aged care and disability facilities, but if visiting, wear a mask and limit visits to two people per day.

Extended testing hours in western Sydney

Today there are 31 COVID clinics open for the public to access free COVID-19 testing in western Sydney.

We have extended hours of clinics in the Castle Hill area to support the community to get tested.

It is best to check opening hours, locations and details through the NSW Health website as they are subject to change.

Clinic	Opening Times
Rouse Hill Drive-through Clinic 32 Worcester Road, Rouse Hill, NSW, 2155	8am – 10pm Until further notice No booking required
Castle Hill Drive-through Clinic Showground Road, Castle Hill Showground, Castle Hill, NSW, 2154 Entrance off Showground Road at the traffic lights between the intersections at Gilbert Road and Carrington Road.	8am – 10pm Until further notice No booking required
Merrylands Clinic (Merrylands Park) – Sydpath Cnr Burnett Street and Merrylands Road, Merrylands, NSW, 2160	8am – 8pm Until further notice No booking required
Seven Hills Laverty Pathology 156 Best Road, Seven Hills, NSW, 2147 Walk-in	8am – 5pm Until Saturday, 26 June 8am – 10pm on Sunday, 27 June No booking required
Castle Hill Laverty Pathology 14 Kentwell Avenue, Castle Hill, NSW, 2154 Walk-in	8am – 4:30pm Until Saturday, 26 June 8am – 10pm on Sunday, 27 June No booking required

Anyone feeling unwell, even with the mildest of symptoms to self-isolate from others and should come forward for COVID-19 testing. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore/scratchy throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of taste or smell.

Other reported symptoms include fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, headache, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting and loss of appetite.

There are more than 300 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit here or contact your GP.

To book your COVID-19 vaccination, go to www.nsw.gov.au or visit the Australian Government’s Vaccine Eligibility Checker online.

Full details

NSW recorded 10 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, seven of which were already announced yesterday morning.

NSW Health has also been notified of 13 new locally acquired cases overnight. These cases will be included in tomorrow’s numbers. There are now 31 cases linked to the Bondi cluster.

There were 44,640 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 28,645.

NSW Health thanks the community for coming forward to get tested for COVID-19, with a very encouraging response yesterday. High testing numbers are vital in detecting cases of COVID-19 in order to prevent further transmission.  

Of the 10 locally reported cases to 8pm last night:

Seven cases were already announced yesterday:

• A child who attends St Charles Catholic Primary School, Waverley.
• A man in his 60s from Wollongong. He is a household contact of a previously reported case and has been in isolation while infectious.
• Five family members who are household contacts of a previous case. They have been in isolation while infectious.

Three further cases were reported to 8pm last night:

• A man in his 50s who works in Bondi Junction. 
• A woman in her 40s from Wollongong. She is a close contact of a previously reported case and has been in isolation while infectious.
• A man in his 30s from South West Sydney. He is a close contact of a previously reported case.

13 locally acquired cases were notified overnight, after the 8pm reporting cut-off:

• 8 of these cases are linked to a birthday party in West Hoxton, attended by a previously reported case linked to the Bondi cluster. About 30 people attended this party and they have all been tested and are in isolation. A total of 10 people who attended the party have now tested positive for COVID-19, including a two-year-old child, who attended Little Zak’s childcare in Narellan Vale on 21 June.
• 1 of these cases is a close contact of a previously reported case linked to the Bondi cluster.
• 4 of the overnight cases are currently unlinked. Urgent investigations and contact tracing are underway.

One of the cases took a flight (QF163) from Sydney to Wellington, New Zealand, departing Sydney at 7:05pm Friday 18 June and arriving in Wellington at 12:12am on Saturday 19 June. The person then returned on a flight (NZ247) from Wellington, New Zealand to Sydney on Monday 21 June 2021, departing Wellington at 10:13am and arriving in Sydney at 11:33am.

NSW Health is asking anyone who was in Westfield Bondi Junction (including the car park), particularly Fitness First, at any time between 12 June and 18 June to get tested for COVID-19.

Only people with symptoms and those who have been to specific exposure venues at the listed times need to test and isolate. Anyone who does not have symptoms and has not been to specific exposure venues at the listed times should get tested but does not need to isolate. However, these people are strongly urged to avoid gatherings and minimise their movements, such as not attending the cinemas or trips to the ski fields until they return a negative test. If you can work from home, please do so.

NSW Health is also asking anyone who attended Wallabies Thai Restaurant in Mascot on 19 June between 11:30 am and 12 pm (sitting either inside or outside) to please ring NSW Health Contact Tracing on 1800 943 553.

Venues of concern are regularly being identified as case investigations continue, and the list of venues and associated health advice is continuing to be updated. Please check the NSW Health website regularly and follow the relevant health advice if you have attended a venue of concern.

NSW Health was notified yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon that fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been detected in the Lough Park Sewage Network and at Brooklyn Sewage Treatment Plant. This is the second recent detection in Brooklyn after a detection on Sunday 20 June.

The Brooklyn catchment includes about 1,000 people and takes sewage from the following suburbs: Dangar Island, Cowan, Brooklyn, Mooney Mooney, and Cheerio Point.

The Lough Park catchment includes about 21,500 people and takes sewage from the following suburbs: Clovelly, Waverley, Randwick, Centennial Park, Queens Park, Bondi, Bondi Junction, Bellevue Hill, Double Bay, and Woollahra.

NSW Health is asking everyone in these areas to be especially vigilant in monitoring for symptoms, and if they appear get tested and isolate immediately until a negative result is received.