CBD cluster climbs to 66
By ALLISON HORE
Nine new cases of coronavirus were confirmed on Monday, bringing the total number of active cases across the state to 3,937.
Of the nine new cases, three are returned travellers in hotel quarantine and five are linked to a known case or cluster. Two of the confirmed cases with known sources were linked to the Sydney CBD outbreak, bringing the total number associated with this cluster to 66.
A boarding student at the Kincoppal Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart was one of the Sydney CBD cases. The student’s diagnosis forced the school’s boarding facilities to be closed for cleaning and all Kincoppal boarders and staff are now considered close contacts. The school had already been closed for cleaning after two year 7 students were diagnosed with COVID-19 over the weekend.
Meanwhile, the City Tattersalls club on Pitt Street which has been associated with a number of COVID-19 cases is currently under investigation to see whether they had failed to comply with COVID-safe plans. It is still unknown how the virus first came to be at the club, but genomic sequence shows it is genetically linked to other outbreaks in NSW linked to the Victorian outbreak.
“We were advised people weren’t swiping in, or were travelling in a large group and perhaps, dare I say it, using other people’s cards to sign in,” NSW Chief Health Officer Dr. Kerry Chant said.
This comes as more venues have been fined for failure to comply with COVID-19 measures. This includes Bondi Bowling Club which was slapped with a $10,000 fine and labelled “the worst venue to date”. Breaches at the bowls club included multiple group bookings exceeding the 10-person limit, patrons disregarding social distancing while queuing at the bar and inadequate sign-in processes
“We are still on a cliff edge, but you wouldn’t know it if you went to Bondi Bowling Club on 29 August. The venue was operating as though the COVID safety measures were optional,” said NSW Liquor & Gaming director of compliance, Dimitri Argeres.
“This presented a pretty grim picture of patrons and staff who are simply ignoring the restrictions everyone else has to live with and putting the entire community at risk.”
Over the weekend NSW authorities announced they had established an online COVID safety feedback portal for patrons to dob in venues that are not COVID-safe.
People who visited the following venues should self isolate and get tested immediately:
- It’s Time for Thai restaurant, Newtown (Friday, August 28th, 5pm to 8pm)
- Kuleto’s Cocktail Bar, Newtown (Friday, August 28th, 6:30pm to 9:30pm)
- Four in Hand Pub, Paddington (Wednesday, August 26th, 6:30pm to 10pm)
- Fitness First, Randwick (see NSW Health website for a full list of classes and times)
- Anytime Fitness, Marrickville (Monday, August 24th, 7pm to 8pm)
- Hyde Park Medical Centre, Sydney (see NSW Health website for details)
- City Tattersalls Club Fitness Centre, Sydney (see NSW Health website for a full list of classes and times)
- Virgin Gym, Zetland (Monday, August 24th, 7:40pm Active Dance class attendees )
People who visited the following venues are being asked to monitor themselves for symptoms and to self-isolate and get tested if symptoms occur:
- Chemist Warehouse, Balmain (Friday, August 28th, 2pm to 2:30pm)
- Woolworths, Balmain (Thursday, August 27th, 10am to 11am)
- Balmain Community Pharmacy, Balmain (Monday, August 31st, 11am to 11:20am)
- Platinum Fitness First, Bondi Junction (Monday, August 31st, 7am to 5pm)
- Quality Suites (foyer), Camperdown (Saturday, August 29th, 3:15pm to 4:30pm)
- Rydges Hotel, Camperdown (Saturday, August 29th, 2pm to 3:15pm)
- Carslaw Building toilets, University of Sydney, Camperdown (Friday, August 28th, 8pm to 8:20pm)
- Newtown Train Station, Newtown (Friday, August 28th, 5:10pm to 5:20pm)
- BWS (123 King Street), Newtown (Friday, August 28th, 5:15pm to 5:40pm)
- Off Ya Tree clothing and body piercing store, Newtown (Friday, August 28th, 7:15pm to 7:55pm)
- Rosebery Post Shop, Rosebery (Wednesday, August 26th, 1:30pm to 1:40pm)
- 300 George Street, Sydney (Wednesday 19th of August to Monday 24th of August)
- Virgin Active Margaret Street Gym, Sydney (Wednesday, August 26th, 5:10pm to 6:40pm)
- Virgin Active Pitt Street Gym, Sydney (Tuesday, August 25th, 5:00pm to 6:30pm)
- Virgin Gym, Zetland (Monday, August 24th, 7:30 to 10pm)
