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'Always lurking': Disturbing new Covid cases emerge in NSW as 12-day streak ends

Sydney is on high alert after three locally acquired coronavirus cases were detected overnight, ending NSW’s near two-week run of no locally acquired cases.

The cases were reported after NSW’s 8pm reporting cut-off period on Tuesday night and will be reflected in Thursday’s case numbers.

With no community cases reported in the previous 24 hours, the three new cases brings to an end a 12-day streak of zero locally transmitted cases for NSW.

The new cases are from Camden, Parramatta and Wollondilly in Sydney’s southwest and west and are not believed to be linked to each other or previous outbreaks.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian, wearing pearl earrings, looks glum as she answers questions at Wednesday's press conference.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian says NSW is on high alert. Source: 7News

"I want everybody in NSW to continue to be vigilant and to continue to be on high alert,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Wednesday.

“Our suspicions that the virus is always lurking in the community are founded. We really need people to come forward and get tested.”

It comes after NSW Health urged residents in southwest Sydney and the Hawkesbury region to get tested after fragments of the virus was found in sewage.

Ms Berejiklian said the cases aligned with the traces found in the sewage.

“NSW Health is appealing to the community to come forward for testing right away if you have even the mildest of symptoms like a runny nose or scratchy throat, cough, fever or other symptoms that could be COVID-19,” health authorities said in a statement on Wednesday.

“This is particularly important due to the new cases reported overnight.”

The state recorded a further 5,970 tests on Wednesday, up slightly from Tuesday however NSW Health have one again urged people to come forward to drive that number up.

NSW Health maintains at least 8000 people should be tested every day.

Deflated premier criticises open border requirements

The new cases were announced hours after Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed even a single case of community transmission in NSW would send it back to square one in its quest to have the border re-open.

She has said the border would re-open on November 1 only if NSW had 28 days with no community transmission of COVID-19.

A deflated Ms Berejikilian again implored her Queensland counterpart to reconsider her "unrealistic" stance.

"We're always going to have cases pop up because we're in a pandemic, but we're also in an economy which is open," she said.

"I say to the Queensland government, I appreciate you will probably come out today and say the 28 days is ticking from the start.

“Until the end of the pandemic, it is unlikely that NSW will get to 28 days with no community transmission."

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