Fears for an inner-west seafood wholesaler as NSW records 30 new cases

A seafood wholesaler in Sydney’s inner-west has health officials seriously concerned as case numbers ballooned amid fears the worst is yet to come.

A seafood business in Sydney’s inner west is under the microscope after New South Wales recorded 30 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19, premier Gladys Berejiklian has revealed.

On the first day of a two-week lockdown for Greater Sydney, Ms Berejiklian announced the major spike in cases but all were linked to the Bondi cluster.

“Of the 112 locally acquired cases recorded since 16 June 2021, when the index case (patient zero) for the Bondi cluster, a driver who transported international flight crew, was reported, 110 are linked to this cluster and two remain under investigation,” a NSW Health statement revealed.

However, Ms Berejiklian she said a number of people were in the community while infectious and that is a cause for significant concern.

“All (30 cases) are linked to the Bondi cluster; 11 were in isolation throughout their infectious period and a further three cases were in isolation for part of the infectious period,” NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said on Sunday.

“What we are hoping over coming days is that we announce cases that have been in isolation for their fully infectious period.”

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian provides a Covid update. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

Dr Chant said more venues would be added to the exposure sites list.

A venue under the microscope is the Great Ocean Foods wholesaler, at 5/11 Cadogan Street in Marrickville.

NSW Health are so concerned about the exposures there that they have ordered entire households that received deliveries to isolate and get tested.

“In terms of updates about clusters or chains of transmission, we have 10 new cases linked to the Great Ocean Foods seafood wholesaler in Marrickville and this brings the number of total numbers of cases acquired through the great oceans food to 11, not including the original source case who worked well infectious,” Dr Chant said.

“I ask that any person and household contacts who attended or directly received a delivery from Great Ocean Foods, from Monday June 21 to Friday (June 25), must immediately call NSW Health on 1800 943 553, get tested and isolate until further advice.”

One of the 11 cases associated with Great Ocean Foods was a flight crew member working with Virgin Australia.

That person worked across five flights while potentially infectious, but Dr Chant made it clear they did not have symptoms and had no idea they were Covid positive.

Additional cases have also been linked to the West Hoxton birthday party last weekend that has been described as a super-spreader event.

A positive case linked to the Bondi cluster unknowingly spread it to people at the party.