NSW Covid updates: 78 new cases, Orange to go into lockdown

The Sydney lockdown misery will be inflicted on residents of three regional local council areas after an infectious pet food driver visited the region. Read Tuesday's live blog.

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The Sydney lockdown misery will be inflicted on 50,000 people in three regional local council areas for at least the next seven days after an infectious pet food driver visited the region.

From 12.01am on Wednesday people in Orange, Blayney and Cabonne shires will be plunged into the Covid crisis and residents will be prevented from leaving their homes unless it is to buy food, medical care, essential work or to exercise.

Masks will be required indoors and exercise can be in a group of just two people.Extra Covid testing capacity will be in operation in Bathurst, Orange, Parkes, Blayney and Molong.

Anyone who was in the region on or after July 17 will also be required to observe lockdown restrictions for a week.

Authorities acted quickly amid serious concern about the effect the Delta variant could have spreading quickly through the regions.

The three regional LGAs in lockdown will be spared the more recent Sydney ban on construction and retail closures will not immediately apply, it is understood.

Authorities made the snap decision last night just before 6pm, about the same time the public was alerted to five exposure sites in Orange.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro said he did not hesitate to move the regions into lockdown as a means to protect them from a Delta outbreak.

“One of the things we’ve learned is how infectious this is. Even with one case and multiple exposure sites, we will not hesitate to move into lockdown,” he said last night.

A pet food delivery driver from southwest Sydney infected a local who lived in Blayney and then travelled to Orange.

One senior government source said that the key reason for concern was that the case in question was believed to be highly infectious when they visited the exposure sites on July 16 and 17 These included the EG Fuelco, the Woolworths at North Orange Shopping Centre, the Pizza Hut on Bathurst Road, CTC Orange at North Orange Shopping Centre at specified times, available on the NSW Health website.

The driver was making a delivery to the Nestle Purina factory at Blayney. A factory worker tested positive and has been in isolation since Sunday.

The truck driver had delivered pet food to depots in Blayney and Parkes across three days last week.A case linked to the driver also visited a private premises in Cootamundra, 400km south west of Sydney, on July 16 and subsequently tested positive.

Earlier on Tuesday, the NSW Premier moved to give "assurance" to the construction industry that some work will restart on July 31. 

Gladys Berejiklian made the guarantee after announcing the state recorded 78 new Covid cases, with 21 of those infectious in the community. 

"Yes, there were Covid safety plans on paper but we were finding too many workplaces weren't implementing them and I am absolutely convinced that on July 31 there will be construction activity," Ms Berejiklian said.

The premier gave an "assurance" that the industry will be given "plenty of warning before July 30" so that tradies can resume work by the 31st.

Read Tuesday's live blog below.