Sydney’s coronavirus crisis: From a busy McDonald’s to popular pubs, gyms and supermarkets

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A terrifying map shows how far coronavirus has spread across Sydney, with cases continuing to pop up at gyms, McDonald’s restaurants, busy pubs, restaurants and supermarkets.

New South Wales recorded 20 new cases on Monday – three of which are linked to the Crossroads Hotel in Casula in the city’s south-west, bringing the total number of cases linked to the cluster to 48.

Four of the new cases are linked to the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club on the NSW South Coast – bringing the cluster to eight. 

A worker, two diners and a close contact of a case were linked to the venue on Sunday. Four cases who dined at the club were previously reported and the venue has been closed for two weeks for deep cleaning.  

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance said ‘hundreds and hundreds’ of people who visited the waterfront venue between July 13 and 17 need to self-isolate now as the state scrambles to keep the outbreak under control.  

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Monday she was ‘incredibly concerned’ and that NSW was at a ‘critical point’ in the pandemic.

She said it was positive all the new cases were from known sources but urged people to ‘please consider avoiding crowds’.

‘If you cannot guarantee social distancing where you’re going, if you cannot guarantee people around you will respect that social distancing, you must wear a mask.’

‘We do have the chance to really get ahead of the virus, to control the spread if all of us take those extra steps this week.

‘If we get through the next three or four weeks the way we have we will be able to have medium to long term surety that NSW can keep moving forward but if we slide backwards that means all of us will need to face situations we shouldn’t have to.’ 

There are now 40 venues and businesses around the state linked to coronavirus cases.

Another eight cases are now associated with the Thai Rock restaurant at Stocklands Wetherill Park in the city’s western suburbs. 

NSW Health confirmed a new case has been linked to Paddington’s The Village Inn, in the inner city.

Anyone who visited the pub between 6.30pm and 10pm on July 11 has been told to monitor for symptoms. 

The nearby Love Supreme Italian restaurant was also visited by a confirmed coronavirus case. 

Health officials have advised any patrons who visited the restaurant between 5.30pm and 9pm on July 14 to monitor for symptoms. 

Anyone who dined at Holy Duck! restaurant in Chippendale, in the inner city, on July 10 between 7.15pm and 9.30pm has also been asked to immediately self-isolate.

An infected person visited Anytime Fitness Gym in Merrylands, in Greater Western Sydney, on July 14 from 9pm to 10:30pm.

Anyone who visited the gym is also advised to self-isolate and watch out for symptoms.   

On July 15 a COVID-19 case visited McDonald’s at Albion Park, near Wollongong, between 2pm and 2.30pm.

Another infectious customer attended family restaurant Rashays in North Wollongong between 7pm and 9.30pm on July 11.

Campbelltown, in southwest Sydney, is home to an outbreak of cases across several venues. 

A COVID-19-positive patron attended the Macarthur Tavern in Campbelltown on Saturday July 11 between 9pm and midnight.

The nearby Wests Leagues Club Macarthur shut for deep cleaning last week after a person who tested positive for coronavirus visited the club while infectious. 

The infected person went to the club in Leumeah on Friday July 10 at 8pm and on Sunday July 12 between 12am and 2.30am.

Picton Hotel, in Sydney’s southwest, closed for cleaning last week after a patron tested positive for COVID-19.

The patron tested positive after visiting the Crossroads Hotel on July 3.

They also attended the Picton Hotel during their infectious period, using the gaming room on July, 4, 9 and 10. 

NSW Chief Health Minister Kerry Chant said anyone who visited Narellan Town Centre’s Kmart, Target, Best and Less, H&M and the food court on July 6 should look out for symptoms.

The coronavirus-positive customer attended the shopping centre between 7pm and 9.30pm on July 11.

The virus has spread further south to Bowral, in the Southern Highlands, where a Woolworths worker tested positive. 

The employee was not symptomatic when they worked on Sunday July 12.  

NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Jeremy McAnulty warned NSW residents to follow social distancing as much as possible. 

‘It wouldn’t take much for us to be in Melbourne’s situation and we need everyone’s assistance,’ he said over the weekend.

‘Everyone has got a role to play. Don’t be complacent.’  

It comes as NSW will from midnight on Tuesday enforce tougher border restrictions for people wanting to enter the state from Victoria.

A border zone will be set up along the Murray River, with criteria for cross-border travel to be tightened.

All current travel permits will be cancelled and residents in the border zone who wish to move between the states will have to reapply.

Travel will only be allowed for work, education or for medical care, supplies or health services.

Victoria has recorded 275 cases of coronavirus and a woman in her 80s has died as New South Wales recorded 20 cases, its biggest total in three months. 

Victoria’s figure is less than Sunday’s total of 363 and well below Friday’s record of 428, giving hope the spread is decreasing during Melbourne’s six-week lockdown. 

Premier Daniel Andrews said 147 Victorians are in hospital, including 31 fighting for their lives, and 26,588 tests had been conducted.

Ninety-six people are in hospital in New South Wales with two in intensive care, including a person in their 30s. The state conducted 21,167 tests on Sunday.