Mystery Covid-19 case among new infections as NSW records 11 local virus cases

Another 11 new Covid-19 cases have been diagnosed in NSW, including a mystery infection, as the Bondi cluster spreads outside the city’s eastern suburbs.

NSW has recorded 11 new Covid-19 cases, including a new mystery infection, as health authorities grapple to contain the spread.

Officials revealed 18 new infections on Thursday, but 13 of those were already reported on Wednesday, making five of them new.

Another six were recorded after the 8pm cut-off and will be included in Friday’s numbers.

Of the five new cases reported to 8pm, two are a woman and a man from Sydney’s southwest who are linked to the West Hoxton birthday party, which was attended by a person associated with the Bondi outbreak.

A teenager from Sydney’s eastern suburbs, who is linked to the Bondi cluster, and a woman in her 20s from Sydney’s eastern suburbs, who is a close contact of a previously reported case, were also included.

The six new cases after 8pm feature Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall, who attended the Christo’s Pizzeria in Paddington at the same time as a previously reported case linked to the Bondi cluster.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian provided a Covid update. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Damian Shaw

Three women, who are close contacts of a previously reported case who works as a hairdresser at a Double Bay hair salon, have also tested positive. All have been in isolation while infectious.

The source of the infection of the hairdresser, who lives in western Sydney, is under investigation.

A man in his 40s, who is linked to the West Hoxton birthday party, tested positive — meaning there are now 11 cases linked to the gathering.

Urgent investigations are underway to determine how another man aged in his 40s, who is not yet linked to a known case or cluster, caught the virus.

NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said there were now three mystery cases in total since the outbreak began.

The first was a Year 3 student at St Charles Waverley Catholic School, in the Bondi area, that was reported earlier in the week.

The second is the Double Bay hairdresser, who lives in Sydney’s west.

NSW recorded 18 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, 13 of which were already announced yesterday morning.

NSW Health has also been notified of six new locally acquired cases overnight. These cases will be included in tomorrow's numbers. pic.twitter.com/D7SVhhSF6z

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 24, 2021

The third, which was only revealed on Thursday morning, was the man in his 40s.

It is believed the man was in a health facility where there was a positive case, but contact tracers have not been unable to find an “exact crossover”.

“So there are three cases where we haven't established the exact mechanism of transmission. The staff are working on that and will update the community,” Dr Chant said.

Ms Berejiklian described the outbreak as the “scariest period” NSW has gone through since the beginning of the pandemic.

There have been 49 local virus cases since the limousine driver who transported aircrews between their hotel quarantine accommodation and Sydney airport returned a positive result.

This includes 36 linked to the Bondi cluster.

The NSW Premier was also tested for Covid and returned a negative result after learning she was in the same room as Mr Marshall.

It was revealed earlier on Thursday that Mr Marshall tested positive to Covid-19 after he was forced into isolation alongside three other Nationals MPs on Tuesday.

Mr Marshall, Trevor Khan, Steph Cooke and Ben Franklin all had dinner together on Monday night at a Paddington restaurant in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, and were soon after deemed casual contacts.

People queue for testing. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

Mr Marshall confirmed he had been formally advised by NSW Health “just after 8am” on Thursday.

“I have been in isolation in Sydney since late Tuesday night, when I received a text message from NSW Health advising of my attendance at a close contact venue on Monday evening, and the need to present for testing,” he said in a statement.

“To everyone who has contacted me this morning, thank you for your thoughts and well wishes – I’m doing fine and will continue to strictly follow the advice of health authorities.”

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard also had to get tested. He too has returned a negative result.