NSW coronavirus cases increase by 13 as Sydney COVID cluster grows ‘significantly’

NSW records 13 new cases of COVID-19

Health authorities in NSW say a coronavirus cluster in Sydney’s CBD linked to the City Tattersalls Club, where more than a dozen people have already been infected, is growing “significantly”.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed there were 13 new COVID-19 cases in her state in the 24 hours to 8.00pm yesterday — twelve of them acquired locally.

Six of the new cases are connected to the City Tattersalls Club, meaning there is now a total of 14 infections linked to this venue.

NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said this cluster has grown “significantly”.

More cases had been linked to it after NSW Health’s 8.00pm COVID-19 reporting cut-off and that they would be included in tomorrow’s update, she said.

Dr Chant said the CBD cluster outlined how dangerous the virus was.

“It highlights how quickly COVID-19 can spread in the sense we have a seeding event, its amplification and then that has seeded other workplaces and lead to exposure in the community to a number of venues that we have announced,” she said.

NSW Health is warning anyone who attended the club on Monday, August 24 from 8am to 2pm that they are now deemed a “close contact” of a coronavirus case and must get tested and self-isolate immediately, even if they do not have symptoms.

One of the 13 new infections in NSW recorded before 8.00pm yesterday was in hotel quarantine.

Two Sydney schools have been closed for cleaning today as a result of COVID-19 infections.

Staff and students at Ryde Secondary College in Sydney’s north-west and St Gertrude’s Catholic Primary School in Smithfield have been told to self-isolate after confirmed COVID-19 infections on both campuses.

NSW health authorities say another case attended Anytime Fitness gym in Marrickville on Monday August 24 from 7pm to 8pm.

Anyone who attended the the gym during that time is considered a close contact and should immediately get tested and self-isolate until September 8.

Ms Berejiklian said police would be out in force this weekend to ensure adequate social distancing as warm weather draws people outside.

“We appreciate that a lot of the places people normally flock to will be very busy on the weekend,” she said.

“The Deputy Commissioner and his team are on high alert to make sure that all authorities appreciate what could occur on the weekend if people don’t recognise the need to socially distance.”

A top of 25 degrees Celsius is forecast in Sydney this Sunday.

Dr Chant pointed to research demonstrating that people are taking too long to get tested when they show symptoms of coronavirus.

The weekly surveillance report showed that almost half of the cases who acquired their infection in Sydney did not get a test until more than three days after their symptoms began.

“So we would like to see our data improve and we would like to see that people are getting tested within a day of symptom offset and also to stress that people should not be out and about if you have got symptoms,” she said.

NSW Health wants anyone who went to these venues to isolate and get tested if they develop symptoms:

• The Matterhorn, Turramurra — Saturday August 22 between 6pm and 8pm
• Parish of Holy Name, Wahroonga — Sunday August 23 between 9.30am and 10.15am
• Liquorland, Marrickville — Sunday August 23 between 5.15pm-5.30pm
• Eat Fuh, Marrickville — Sunday August 23 between 5.20pm-5.40pm
• Metro Petroleum, Hurlstone Park — Monday August 24 between 10.20am and 10.30am