NSW Health warns those who attended gathering in Pendle Hill to get tested as case numbers rise

Anyone who attended a home in Sydney is being urged to get tested after a gathering of grieving family members saw a surge in cases.

At least 28 people who were among a gathering of 50 grieving a family death in Sydney’s west have now contracted Covid-19.

NSW health officials are urging anyone who attended a home in Pendle Hill to get tested after the gathering of at least 50 grieving family members saw a considerable rise in cases in just two days.

On Saturday, 18 infections were identified from the gathering, rising to 28 on Sunday.

Yesterday NSW recorded 141 new cases, with 38 infectious in the community. Southwest Sydney contributed 62 of the new cases, while 46 were from western Sydney, 19 were from inner Sydney, 10 were from southeast Sydney, three were from the Central Coast and one was from northern Sydney.

The news of the gathering on Saturday saw Health Minister Dr Brad Hazzard warn people not to mingle with family members from other households.

“It will continue to cause massive grief here in Sydney. Just, please, stop doing it,” he said.

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NSW Health’s Dr Jeremy McAnulty in Sydney. Picture: Jeremy Piper

NSW Health’s Dr Jeremy McAnulty echoed those concerns on Sunday, warning the rise in cases “is a measure of just how dangerous it is to come together from different families”.

“We’ve now got 28 cases associated with that gathering so we’ve been working with community leaders in that area to make sure that people in that gathering are isolated and getting tested. It’s so important to come forward for testing.”

Dr McAnulty made the rules over family gatherings clear.

“Don’t visit other family, don’t visit other households, don’t let anyone from your extended family who doesn’t live with you to come into your household.

“It’s so important. Even if you think it is, it’s just not safe to do so.”

🚨 New venues of concern in western Sydney including:
- Service NSW Blacktown- ADDITIONAL times
- Romeos IGA Parramatta
- Advanced Medical Centre Auburn
- Thai Spice Seven Hills, Kabul House Merrylands, and Mirunas Super Take Away Pendle Hill

DETAILS 👇https://t.co/Bq7llk0gWV

— Western Sydney Health (@WestSydHealth) July 25, 2021

More than 2000 cases in NSW outbreak

NSW has recorded 2081 cases since the latest outbreak began on June 16.

A woman who died of coronavirus in Sydney over the weekend has been identified as 38-year-old Brazilian national Adriana Midori Takara.

The accounting student had no pre-existing medical conditions.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the death on Sunday and extended her condolences to the woman’s family.

Another woman in her 70s died at Campbelltown Hospital.

NSW experienced a record of more than 102,000 tests after registering the two deaths.

Currently, 141 people are in hospital with Covid-19. Of those, 43 are in intensive care, 60 are under the age of 55 and 28 under 35.

One person in intensive care is in their teens, officials revealed.

“If anybody thinks this is a disease just affecting older people, please think again,” Ms Berejiklian said.

Local community leaders responsive to orders

Despite the gathering in Sydney’s west Mr Hazzard said local community leaders had been very responsive to the health orders.

“We are a very multicultural society in southwest and western Sydney and it is one of the joys of this nation that we are a proud multicultural nation,” he said.

“But sometimes people who have come from overseas perhaps have suffered at the hands of other governments and perhaps getting the messages through is challenging.

“So, we need to find ways to keep working at that and get the messages through.”

PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT
NSW Health has been notified tonight of a case who travelled on a flight from Sydney to Ballina on 14 July.
NSW Health has also been notified of a number of new and updated venues of concern & public transport routes associated with confirmed cases of COVID 19 pic.twitter.com/S4k2gyyCLX

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 24, 2021