New mystery infections among 22 Covid cases announced on Friday in NSW as outbreak explodes

Another 22 new Covid cases have been diagnosed in NSW, including three mystery cases, as the Bondi outbreak continues to explode.

Twenty-two new cases of Covid, including three mystery infections, have been recorded in NSW in a concerning spike for the Sydney outbreak.

NSW Health said there were 11 new cases on Friday, but six of those were already reported on Thursday, making five of them new.

Another 17 infections were recorded after the 8pm cut-off and will be included in Saturday’s numbers. Contact tracers are racing to determine the source of infection in three of those cases.

NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said the three mystery cases were from the eastern suburbs – one lives in Bondi and another in Bellevue Hill.

“We're expecting that those linkages would be made or (are) hopeful that they will be made later,” she said.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said most cases are linked. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

She did offer some good news, explaining that three previous mystery cases have now been linked. Dr Chant explained that someone was unknowingly infectious in the community on June 16 and 17, and that led to “seeding events”.

The only other case that remains under investigation is a year 3 student at St Charles’ Waverley, which is in the Bondi area.

The five new cases recorded to 8pm on Thursday included a family of three – a man and woman in their 30s and a young child who live in the eastern suburbs.

A woman in her 80s from Sydney’s eastern suburbs also tested positive, as did a man in his 20s from the Sutherland Shire who is a close contact of a previously reported case and has been isolating while infectious.

NSW recorded 11 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, six of which were announced Thursday morning.

NSW Health has also been notified of an additional 17 locally acquired cases overnight. These cases will be included in tomorrow's numbers. pic.twitter.com/YQ9dd4HeOd

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 25, 2021

Of the 17 new cases recorded overnight, 14 are linked to known cases.

Dr Chant said two of those cases were linked to the Joh Bailey hairdresser in Double Bay, and one also attended the Royal Hotel in Bondi, which is an exposure site.

Three cases were likely exposed to the virus at the Lyfe Cafe in Bondi and seven are linked to the superspreader party in West Hoxton that was attended by a worker from Bondi Junction.

Two others are “close family cases of a previous case in Bondi Junction” that Dr Chant said reflected the knowledge that household transmission was the biggest risk.

“You can see the incredible attack rate we've had amongst guests at that party,” Dr Chant said.

“And as we're working through this, because that party is some distance (away), we're hoping that everyone was fully in isolation and, therefore, posed no further risk to the community at that time.”

Four council areas are in lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

The spike in cases has plunged four local government areas into lockdown until July 2.

Those living or working in City of Sydney, Waverley, Randwick or Woollahra council areas must stay at home unless necessary.

Reasons for leaving the home include to seek medical care, to exercise outdoors, to shop for essentials and to provide care.

Earlier, University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely warned a delay in announcing further restrictions meant a lockdown would be “longer and harder”.

“Each day you delay means that if you need a lockdown, which I think is more than likely now, it will be longer and harder if they don’t do it soon,” he told ABC News Breakfast.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian delivers the Covid numbers. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

He believed there was a “50/50” chance NSW would get through this outbreak without a lockdown.

Meanwhile, the limousine driver at the centre of the outbreak has broken his silence, saying he does not believe he is patient zero and used proper PPE when transporting airline crew.

Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said police were still investigating.

“We have sent the case for urgent outside legal advice and have done that due to the significance of this outbreak and the community concern,” he said.

“We need to tick every box in terms of making sure whether he has or hasn’t definitively breached the public health orders.”

Originally published as New mystery infections among 22 Covid cases announced on Friday in NSW as outbreak explodes