Fears second coronavirus wave is on its way in New South Wales after 11 new locally-acquired cases were reported overnight and a doctors surgery cluster swells
- NSW has recorded 14 new cases on Wednesday including 11 locally acquired
- Three are in hotel quarantine and nine have been linked to Lakemba GP cluster
- Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced easing of restrictions will be pushed back
New South Wales has recorded 11 new locally-acquired coronavirus cases, as a cluster in south Sydney linked to two infected doctors grows – forcing the NSW government to push back a planned easing of restrictions.
On Tuesday, just three cases were linked to the Lakemba GP cluster, but that has now grown to 12 cases.
The other two new cases are linked to a private clinic cluster, which has now infected ten people.
Another three infections on Wednesday were found in hotel quarantine taking the total number of new cases in NSW to 14.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian was going to announce a further easing of restrictions on hospitality venues, including expanding the ten person rule, but that has now been pushed back.
NSW has recorded 11 new locally acquired coronavirus cases (pictured patient in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs gets tested for COVID-19)
The four-square metre rule for indoor dining will not yet be eased, the Premier said.
Bookings will also remain capped at groups of no more than ten and the number of guests at weddings will not increase.
The Premier said those changes could still be announced as early as later this week.
‘We will be holding off until Dr Chant gives us the green light to say we are over the existing current concerns,’ Ms Berejiklian said.
One new case recorded on Wednesday visited the Narellan Town Centre on Camden Valley Way.
They had attended the centre on October 7 from 11.30am-1pm and anyone who visited the venue at the same time is urged to watch for symptoms and get tested.
Ms Berejiklian also admitted some earlier cases had been missed which led to clusters in Sydney’s south-west.
‘Some of the new cases that have emerged in south-western Sydney tells us, and Dr Chant explained this in great detail this morning, there was some chains of transmission we hadn’t picked up weeks or months ago,’ she said.
‘It’s really important for us to make sure that we’re not missing any of those chains of transmission.’
Premier Gladys Berejiklian was going to announce a further easing of restrictions on hospitality venues, including expanding the ten person rule, but that has now been pushed back
NSW recorded 14 new cases on Wednesday with only three in hotel quarantine (pictured commuters on a train in Sydney)
On Friday for outdoor diners, the one person per four square metre rule will be lifted to one person per two square metres.
It is unclear when the other restrictions will be eased.
Ms Berejiklian said the state was ‘on the verge’ of being where it was in July after an infected Victorian led to a boom in cases at Sydney’s Crossroads Hotel.
‘I cannot stress enough that this is the most concerned we’ve been since that first incident when the Victorian citizen came up, infected his colleagues and went for a drink at a hotel,’ she said.
There were 16,021 tests conducted in the last 24 hours compared to 8,609 the day before, but Ms Berejiklian said there still needed to be more done.
In NSW there are currently 62 patients being treated for coronavirus and one in intensive care.
The state has recorded 55 deaths from the virus.
Restrictions on bookings in restaurants and cafes were planned to be eased but have since been pushed back (pictured customers dine at cafe in Sydney’s Brighton le Sands)