New South Wales records one new Covid case as state reveals new restrictions including masks indoors

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Face masks will be mandatory indoors and dancing will be banned across Greater Sydney this weekend after a husband and wife in Sydney’s eastern suburbs mysteriously tested positive to Covid.  

The man’s test result, which was announced on Wednesday, sent shockwaves through the city because he had not returned from overseas, does not work in border control, health care or at a quarantine facility.

NSW Health have now traced his infection to a returned traveller from the U.S. who contracted an Indian variant of the virus – but it is not known how the pair came into contact with each other. 

Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a host of new restrictions for the Greater Sydney region, including Wollongong, Central Coast and Blue Mountains, on Thursday as she revealed the man’s wife has also contracted the virus. 

The new restrictions come into effect at midday on Thursday, will be enforceable from 5pm, and will stay in place for the course of the weekend. 

Residents will only allowed to host 20 people in their houses on Mother’s Day as part of the new rules and revellers will be forced to stay seated at the pub.

Dancing and singing will be banned, except at weddings where 20 people are allowed to gather on a dancefloor, and face masks will be mandatory indoors and for hospitality workers.

‘In relation to mask-wearing, mask-wearing at indoor places will be compulsory for the next three days,’ Ms Berejiklian said. 

‘Public transport, if you go to the supermarket, any indoor event, will require compulsory mask wearing in addition to hospitality workers. 

‘You can go and have a meal. You can enjoy a hospitality venue, but the workers will be expected to wear a mask for the next three days.’ 

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant revealed the man’s Covid infection has been linked to a traveller who returned from the U.S – but they are still unsure how he contracted the virus.

‘Our new case matched with an overseas case, who had travelled from the US and went to the Park Royal at Darling Harbour,’ she said. 

The person tested positive on day one of his quarantine stay and was moved to a health hotel on April 28.

Dr Chant said health officials are reviewing CCTV footage to see how the returned traveller may have infected the man from Sydney’s east.  

‘What we’re concerned about is that there is a missing link,’ she said. 

‘We can’t find any direct link between our case, so what we’re concerned about is there is another person that is as yet unidentified that infected our case.’

Health authorities have also identified two new venues of concern as part of its ongoing investigations. 

One of the Covid-positive cases dined at ​Fratelli Fresh in Westfield Sydney on Tuesday from 1.15pm to 2.15pm. 

Bondi Trattoria on Campbell Parade has also been listed as a potential exposure site after it was attended by a case on Thursday, from 12.45pm to 1.30pm.  

Anyone who attended the two venues at the times specified is asked to get tested and isolate until NSW Health provides further advice.

Ms Berejiklian was adamant it was ‘business as usual’ for the next three days in Greater Sydney.  

‘But we are asking people just to take extra precautions if you have a looking for Mother’s Day, go to the booking, go to the restaurant if you have a family gathering at home, that’s great, but just limit it to 20 people,’ she said. 

‘And if you are using public transport to go to a footy match or another event please wear a mask on public transport.

‘We know that at least one person has been going around Greater Sydney with the virus, we don’t know who they are, we don’t know who they’ve been in contact with, we don’t know where they’ve visited so as a precaution we’re just asking everybody to use their common sense, wear masks when shopping, wear masks if you’re in an indoor setting and just be safe. 

The premier said it is a ‘a very measured proportionate response’ to the risk. 

Ms Berejiklian and Dr Chant on Wednesday said the infected man had a ‘high viral load’ and was potentially highly infectious while in the community. 

He visited a busy Woolworths supermarket, several BBQ shops, a golf club, a cinema and many cafes and restaurants between Friday April 30 and Tuesday May 4.

‘Our job now is to get on top of it to identify any other potential cases, to identify the source and make sure we get on top of this case,’ Ms Berejiklian said.

There are now 19 ‘venues of concern’ across the city from Double Bay in the east, to Collaroy in the north, and Silverwater in the west. 

Dr Chant said the man had a higher viral load than typically seen in infected people, increasing the likelihood that he spread the disease to others.  

More than 42,000 people in the inner west have also been put on high alert after virus fragments were found in wastewater from a sewage plant.

Affected suburbs include Marrickville Dulwich Hill, Summer Hill, Lewisham, Ashfield, Haberfield, Petersham, Lilyfield and Leichhardt.

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

The Covid-positive man visited a Bondi Junction cinema and several shops while infectious in what was described as a ‘very active’ weekend.

All customers of every business listed have been told to isolate immediately and seek urgent testing, including a busy Woolworths and Chemist Warehouse in Double Bay, a golf club in Rose Bay, and a series of cafes in Moore Park.

They must continue to isolate, regardless of their test results, until more information emerges.