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SECOND Covid case emerges as new exposure sites listed

A second Covid case has been identified in Sydney's eastern suburbs, just hours after a man in his 60s was confirmed to have the virus.

The first case drove international flight crews to their Sydney quarantine hotels before returning a positive test, sparking a scramble to prevent any community spread.

The second case, announced late on Wednesday night, is a household contact of the man.

NSW Health has released a list of venues visited by the man including a cinema, cafes and department stores at Bondi Junction plus venues in Vaucluse and North Ryde.

Customers walk through an entrance to the Westfield shopping centre in Bondi Junction, Sydney on November 24, 2008. (AAP Image/Tom Compagnoni) NO ARCHIVING
Customers walk through an entrance to the Westfield shopping centre in Bondi Junction, Sydney on November 24, 2008. (AAP Image/Tom Compagnoni) NO ARCHIVING

Authorities say the man had not travelled overseas in recent times but worked as a driver, including for international flight crews, and returned a positive test on Wednesday.

The source of the infection is unknown.

"Urgent investigations into the source of the infection and contact tracing are underway, as is genome sequencing," NSW Health said in a statement.

"Close contacts are being urgently contacted, and asked to get tested and isolate."

The man was potentially infectious when he attended the screening of the film Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard at Cinema 1 at Events Cinema at Bondi Junction on Sunday between 1.30pm and 4pm.

The cinema has been identified as a close contact venue and anyone who attended that film screening must immediately contact NSW Health and get tested and isolate for 14 days.

Other potential exposure sites include Myer and David Jones in Bondi Junction, Harry's Coffee and Kitchen in Bondi Junction and cafes in Vaucluse and North Ryde. The list of venues can be found on the NSW Health website.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee will convene on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the Bondi case.

Returned travellers in separate rooms contract same strain of virus

It comes as NSW Health also investigates a potential hotel quarantine breach, after two cases in adjacent rooms returned identical viral sequencing results.

It's unclear how and where transmission occurred from a couple to another returned traveller who were all staying on the fourth floor of Sydney's Radisson Blu quarantine hotel.

Genomic sequencing has shown all three cases have identical viral sequences of the Alpha strain (B.1.1.7), NSW Health said.

"At this stage we still don't know if it happened on the plane, transporting from the plane to the accommodation, at the accommodation or whether it was just a coincidence," Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Wednesday.

radisson blu
Three returned travellers tested positive to the same strain of virus at the Radisson Blu in Sydney. Source: Radisson Blu

New Sydney exposure sites revealed

Anyone who attended the following venues are considered close contacts and must get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days or until further advice is received from NSW Health:

  • Bondi Junction's Event Cinemas, Sunday, June 13, 1:30pm and 4:00pm for a screening of the Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard which started at 1.45pm

  • Bus 200, from Bondi Junction interchange to Blue St, North Sydney (near North Sydney station), Tuesday, June 15, departed approximately 4:25pm, arrived approximately 5:00pm

  • Vaucluse, Belle Cafe, Friday, June 11, 9:15am-9:50am, Saturday, June 12, 11:20pm-1:50pm, Sunday, June 13, 11:30am-12:00pm, Tuesday, June 15, 9:50am-10:25am

  • Vaucluse, Field to Fork, Friday, June 11, 12:00-4:00pm

  • Bondi Junction, Sourdough Cafe, Friday, June 11, 12:40pm-1:10pm

  • Vaucluse, Belle Cafe, Saturday, June 12, 10:20am-10:45am

  • Bondi Junction, David Jones, Saturday, June 12, 11:00am-11:40am

  • Bondi Junction, Myer, Saturday, June 12, 11:10-12:15pm

  • Vaucluse, Washoku Vaucluse, Saturday, June 12, 12:00pm-1:30pm

  • Vaucluse, Rocco's, Monday, June 14, 10:55am-11:30am

  • North Ryde, Celeste Catering Macquarie Park Cemetery Cafe, Tuesday, June 15, 1:00pm-1:20pm

  • Bondi Junction, Harry's Coffee and Kitchen, Tuesday, June 15, 3:00-3:40pm

  • Bondi Junction, NAB, Tuesday, June 15, 2:45-3:10pm

  • Bondi Junction, David Jones, Tuesday, June 15, 3:30-4:15pm

  • Zetland, Coles, East Village Shopping Centre, O'Dea Ave, Monday, June 14, 11:00am-1:00pm

  • Zetland, Taste Growers (fruit and vegetable shop), East Village Shopping Centre, Shop 39/2 Defries Ave, Monday, June 14, 11:00am-1:00pm

  • Redfern, Wax Car Wash Café, 375 Cleveland Street, Monday, June 14, 12:00pm-3:00pn

The following site is considered a casual contact, which requires visitors to get tested and isolate until a negative result is received:

  • Fruitologist, Bondi, Tuesday, June 15, between 1:00-2:00pm

NSW Health says it administered a record 17,223 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday, including 6048 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.

The total number of COVID-19 vaccines administered in NSW is now 1,737,557.

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