Coronavirus NSW: Sydney Kmart shuts over COVID-19 fears

A Sydney Kmart store has been closed for deep cleaning after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus.

A Sydney Kmart store in the same suburb as the Crossroads Hotel outbreak has been closed after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus.

Signs pinned outside the store in Casula said the outlet would temporarily close for “deep cleaning”.

It is understood the employee is friends with the 18-year-old worker at the Crossroads Hotel who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.

“We have been in contact with both our Kmart store and their head office and this case has been confirmed. The Kmart employee and fellow staff are now isolating,” Casula Mall centre management posted on Facebook.

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Casula Mall Centre Management is aware of recent reports relating to an employee who works in the Kmart store in the...

Posted by Casula Mall on Monday, 13 July 2020

“Throughout the centre our focus remains on regular and diligent cleaning. We also undertook a further deep clean of the general mall which included all key areas such as hard surfaces, food courts and bathrooms.

“The health and safety of everyone who works and visits Casula Mall continues to be our primary focus and our thoughts are with those affected.”

It comes after five new cases were linked to the outbreak at the Crossroads Hotel on Monday, with another three contacts of cases who were at the hotel.

NSW Health said none of the cases appear likely to have been the source of infection at the hotel, which remains closed.

At least 21 infections have now been linked to the hotel.

There is a major push for testing in Casula.

However, traffic controllers told the Today show it is going to take eight hours for some of the people lining up in their cars today to get to the front of the line.

Yesterday there were reports of people waiting for up to five hours for a test.

A Sydney Kmart store, in the same suburb as the Crossroads Hotel outbreak, has been closed after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus. Picture: John Grainger

Meanwhile NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned of even harsher restrictions.

She confirmed pubs and hotels will be restricted to 300 patrons regardless of the venue size.

The NSW cabinet on Monday night decided to cut from 20 to 10 the number of patrons who could book in a group at pubs.

“If we need to go further we will,” Ms Berejiklian told 2GB radio on Tuesday morning.

“We cannot have people mingling, we cannot have people letting their guard down and unfortunately that’s what’s happening all too frequently for our liking and the evidence shows.”

Ms Berejiklian said restrictions would stay in place for at least three to four week