'Missed a chain': Concerning detail as new cases revealed in NSW
NSW has recorded just 10 new coronavirus cases in the state, in a 24 hour period, as the prospect of tight restrictions remains as health authorities continue to contain the virus.
Six of the new cases were locally acquired, while four are related to hotel quarantine, NSW Chief Medical Officer Dr Kerry Chant said Thursday.
And three cases are linked to the outbreak at the Crossroads Hotel in Casula.
“Those three cases that were associated with Crossroads are a child of a previously known case, a man in his 30s, a contact with a previously known case, and a man in his 80s who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 5 July,” Dr Chant said.
A further three cases are still under investigation.
There are now more than 20 businesses linked to the cluster centred around the Crossroads Hotel in Casula, which has infected at least 37 people.
They will be the focus as investigators work to understand the source of the three unidentified new cases in the past 24 hours.
“Our aim there will be to find any crossover points with the list of venues in southwest Sydney that have been identified,” Dr Chant said.
“Obviously we are concerned when we find cases that can’t be linked back because it does indicate that we’ve missed a chain.
“So we will be re-interviewing cases and trying to ascertain any contact points and updating the community.”
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While the cluster began in Sydney’s southwest, it has now moved closer to the CBD with confirmed cases either working or visiting locations in the city’s inner west.
State health officials are also concerned about the unusually quick onset of symptoms in cases linked to the Casula outbreak.
There were 22,836 tests performed yesterday in the state, Dr Chant said.
Investigators contact tracing Jetstar flight
The 10 cases confirmed by Dr Chant Thursday morning were recorded in the past 24 hours until 8pm the previous night.
“Since that time, we’ve also had some additional cases notified,” Dr Chant said this morning.
They include a teen who attended the Hurricane grill at Brighton-Le-Sands for dinner on 11 July, with an already known case.
“So that is the second case that was linked to that facility ... which has been closed down and is undergoing deep cleaning.”
Investigators are also aware of an infected person who returned from Victoria who flew into Ballina on flight JQ466, who arrived on Sunday 12 July.
“The person was wearing a surgical mask and was self-isolating. But we are doing contact tracing in relation to that Jetstar flight,” Dr Chant said.
“The individual was screened on arriving in Ballina airport and, as I said, since arriving they were in the 14 day self-isolation and any potential close contacts are being followed up.”
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