NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian Source: AAP
Gladys Berejikilan ‘cautious’ about opening to Victoria, as NSW records two new local coronavirus cases
October 27, 2020
There are two new local cases of COVID-19 in NSW as Gladys Berejiklian says she wants to open the Victorian border “as soon as we can”.
NSW has two new cases of locally transmitted COVID-19, while there are ten new cases in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
There were 6,438 tests reported to 8pm on Monday night, compared with 7,447 in the previous 24 hours, NSW Health said on Tuesday.
The two locally acquired cases were household contacts of previously reported cases linked to the Oran Park community cluster and have been in isolation. There are now 25 cases linked to that cluster in Sydney’s southwest.
NSW Health is treating 77 COVID-19 cases, with one patient in intensive care.
Following the detection of remnants of COVID-19 in raw sewage from Bathurst last week, NSW Health again called on anyone who attended the Bathurst 1000 motor race and local residents with any COVID-19 symptoms, to get tested.
NSW Health said the detection in the sewage could have been a result of a current or previous infection.
The Bathurst community responded well to initial calls for testing, and no cases were detected there. Repeat sewage samples taken in Bathurst last Thursday detected no further evidence of the virus.
Meanwhile, Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she’s cautious about opening the border with Victoria quickly, despite the southern state having two consecutive days with no COVID-19 cases and restrictions there being eased from midnight.
“We’ll take the border down as soon as we can, but we do need to wait to see what impact easing of restrictions in Melbourne and Victoria has before we decide exactly when that will be,” she said.
“That’s the real test … it’s easy not to spread the virus when people have limited mobility, but once you ease restrictions and people start moving around again and start working,” she told reporters at Port Macquarie.
She remained scathing about Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s decision to keep Queensland’s border slammed shut, saying NSW had demonstrated its capacity to run a strong economy and keep the community safe.
“I just wish we’d take the games out of this because it’s affecting people’s lives … especially when the border closure is completely unnecessary,” she said.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your jurisdiction’s restrictions on gathering limits. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
SBS
