NSW, Vic battle ‘mystery cases’ as COVID death toll mounts
Health authorities are urging people to download the COVIDSafe app after it helped to successfully identify 544 people who attended a known cluster in south western Sydney. This comes as an elderly man died and 17 new cases were reported in NSW overnight.
NSW
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An elderly man has died and 17 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm night, as the state continues to battle ‘spot fire’ outbreaks.
NSW Health’s Dr Jeremy McAnulty said the 83-year-old man was linked to the Crossroads Hotel cluster in south west Sydney hotel and died early this morning.
His death will be recorded in Sunday’s figures.
It comes as Australia hit a grim new milestone with 200 people dying from COVID-19 in the past five months.
Overnight four more Australians lost their lives due to the deadly virus taking the total number of deaths to 200 since March.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd said urged Australians to download the COVIDSafe app after it was successfully used to identify 544 people who attended the Mounties Club in Mount Pritchard.
“This is a timely reminder of the importance of the COVIDSafe app in assisting in the tracing, and the identifying of the contacts of people who have been diagnosed,” he said.
“As well as identifying the people you do know, the people who share your home and your workplace, the COVIDSafe app can also identify people who do not know.
“People who may have been sitting at a nearby table when you’re in a cafe or restaurant, people who may have been standing or sitting beside you on an aircraft, on a train, on a bus or on a tram,” he said.
It comes as Victoria recorded 397 new infections, the second consecutive day new cases have fallen since a shocking record high of 723 on Thursday.
However, both states continue to battle cases with no known source, leaving authorities concerned about ongoing silent community transmission.
Dr McAnulty said of the cases reported in the past week, seven were from unknown community transmission in people from South Western (two), Western Sydney (two), South Western Sydney (two) and Sydney (one).
In Victoria, Premier Daniel Andrews said of new infections recorded in recent days, 49 were “mystery cases” with no traceable source.
“Forty-nine doesn’t seem a very large number but … that can mean there are many more than 49 out there that have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all,” he said.
“They can be at the height of their infectivity and be infecting other people unbeknown to them. That is the real challenge here. It is a silent enemy, it is a very cunning enemy as well.”
NSW CASE BREAKDOWN
Of the 17 new cases in NSW, three were in hotel quarantine, one was a NSW resident returned from Victoria, two attended the Apollo restaurant and two attended the Mounties Club in Mt Pritchard.
Six cases were contacts of known cases, while one was locally acquired with no known source and two remain under investigation.
There are now 98 cases associated with Thai Rock Wetherill Park, 57 with the Crossroads Hotel cluster, eight with Batemans Bay Soldiers Club, 29 associated with the funeral events, five with Mounties in Mount Pritchard and 24 with the Potts Point cluster.
Dr McAnulty said there were seven cases of unknown community transmission in people from South Western (two), Western Sydney (two), South Western Sydney (two) and Sydney (one).
VICTORIAN DEATH TOLL RISES
Victoria’s coronavirus cases fell for a second day in a row, with 397 infections recorded in the past 24 hours.
Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed three more people had died overnight, a man and a woman in their 80s and a woman in her 90s.
Data analysts are currently reviewing the state’s cases to determine what, if any, new restrictions need to be introduced.
Victoria’s besieged aged care sector now has 1008 active cases. And 1075 of Victoria’s active cases relate to healthcare workers.
Premier Andrews said there were no new restrictions to be announced on Saturday, but indicated the level of community transmission cases were of “great concern to us and we can’t rule out taking further steps … because they will be necessary”.
QLD RECORDS NEW CASE
Queensland has recorded one new COVID-19 case days after two women who allegedly lied to authorities after returning from interstate hot spots tested positive, having spent eight days out-and-about in Brisbane’s southside.
Deputy Premier and Health Minister Steven Miles said this morning that 11,560 tests had been completed in the past 24 hours,
It comes just one day after the first confirmed case of community transmission since May, a 27-year-old Bellbird Park man tested positive to the virus after dining at the same Sunnybank restaurant as one of the two women.
Mr Miles said the new case was a close contact of the Bellbird Park man, who worked at an aged care home on Brisbane’s south side.
OFFICER ASSAULTED AT BORDER
A man wanted on seven outstanding warrants allegedly assaulted a senior police officer after trying to evade a NSW-Victorian border checkpoint on Saturday morning.
Police and ADF personnel stopped a car carrying three people at a border crossing at Federation Way, Corowa, just before 5am this morning.
The female driver and passenger had valid permits. Police allege the male passenger. 21, provided false information.
Further checks revealed the man was wanted on seven outstanding warrants – including a revocation of parole warrant.
The man tried to flee the car before allegedly punching a senior constable in the face, knocking him to the ground, police said.
He was arrested and taken to Corowa Hospital. Drug paraphernalia was allegedly seized from the vehicle and the female driver returned a positive roadside drug test for methamphetamine.
MORE NSW VENUES ISSUE ALERTS
NSW Health sent out an alert overnight advising people who visited the Bavarian Restaurant Manly on Friday July 24 from 2.30pm-4pm to monitor for symptoms.
Harris Farm at Leichhardt has also been notified by NSW Health that a customer with a confirmed case of COVID-19 visited the store on Sunday July 26 between 3pm and 3.30pm.
NSW Health confirmed the risk of infection to customers and staff was low, however the store has increased safety measures and undertaken a deep-clean.
It comes as weekend shoppers are being advised to wear masks for the first time in Sydney hot spots as the list of venues visited by infected patrons continues to grow.
Yesterday, the exclusive The Australian Club in Macquarie St closed for cleaning after a staff member who was at the venue on Monday July 27 between 6am and 9.30am tested positive.
Sydney CBD institution Machiavelli also abruptly shut for cleaning after it was revealed a patron who had dined at The Apollo lunched there on Monday.
MOUNTIES CLUB TIMES REVISED
Based on further investigation, NSW Health has revised the times Mt Pritchard Mounties club was visited by infected persons, Dr McAnulty said.
“For one of the cases where NSW Health accessed the COVIDSafe App data, a previously unrecognised exposure date from a known venue, Mounties, was identified,” he said.
“This resulted in the identification of an additional 544 contacts. Two people in this group presented for testing and were subsequently confirmed to have COVID-19.”
Anyone who attended during the following times must self-isolate for 14 days and get tested:
● Wed July 22: 7pm to midnight
● Thurs July 23: Midnight to 3am, 8:30pm to midnight
● Fri July 24: Midnight to 3am, 11am to 3:30pm, 7pm to midnight
● Sat July 25: Midnight to 3am