NSW Covid updates: 31 new cases, close contacts warned

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has issued a stern warning for people to adhere to lockdown restrictions over the weekend and, more specifically, not to shop too much. Follow our live blog.

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Retail stores have become the latest worry for health officials, who fear shoppers are using grocery shopping as an excuse to cheat on lockdown.

Shoppers should behave as if the person next to them in the supermarket aisle is infectious, according to NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant.

There were 31 new local Covid cases announced yesterday. Concerningly, 15 of the cases announced yesterday were out in the community while infectious.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said lifting the lockdown ­depended on reducing the number of Covid cases infectious in the community.

Eight nurses have contracted Covid from an unvaccinated student nurse who worked while infectious at Fairfield and Royal North Shore.

Health officials believe stay-at-home orders are working to stop the virus spreading from the businesses that sparked the lockdown – Lyfe Cafe in Bondi, Joh Bailey hairdresser in Double Bay, Crossways Hotel in Strathfield South and Great Ocean Foods wholesaler in Marrickville – which combined only contributed to six of the cases ­announced yesterday.

But there is a growing list of retail stores being added to the list of exposure sites, including Coles Eastgate Bondi Junction announced yesterday, which is why Dr Chant wants people to collect groceries less frequently.

“Because of the lockdown, the exposure sites are really shifting,” Dr Chant said. “We are seeing a move from hospitality venues, beauticians and hairdressers to retail."

“Please don’t go out and about shopping if you have symptoms. Stay home, isolate and get a test."

“As people are moving around in shopping centres, please assume you are standing next to someone who may have Covid.”

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said health officials were gaining control of the spread but worried about the number of people still active in the community while infectious.

“I am relieved the case numbers have not been as bad as they could have been,” Ms Berejiklian said. “We’re anticipating there could be an increase in numbers over the next few days (but) hopefully early next week we should see the lockdown really having a positive impact.

“What we look at is how many cases we‘ve had that were not in isolation, either completely or partially, and (Thursday) night’s number of 13 is concerning. A handful of people not doing the right thing can have very devastating consequences.”

Police doled out 75 infringement notices and 12 court ­attendance notices, including to two people who travelled from Sydney to Dubbo Zoo, one who went from Sydney to Brisbane and back to Grafton on a bus and cafe owners in Bowral who “had no belief in wearing a mask”.

Thirteen of those cases were infectious while still in the community, 11 were in isolation for their entire infectious periods and three were in isolation for part of that time. Five are under investigation.

Eight of today's cases are linked to a healthcare worker who previously tested positive.

Follow our live updates below.