Unlinked Covid-19 cases could lock down Sydney: Gladys Berejiklian

As Covid-19 infections linked to Bondi rise, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has revealed what it would take to put Sydney into lockdown.

New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian has dismissed suggestions Sydney should go into lockdown as Covid-19 cases surge, but has left the door open should the outbreak take an ugly turn.

NSW recorded a worrying rise in Covid-19 cases, with officials confirming 10 new infections on Tuesday.

Five locally acquired cases had been recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, with two of those announced yesterday morning, while seven other infections recorded after the official reporting period and will therefore be included in Wednesday’s numbers.

There are now 21 infections linked to the Bondi outbreak.

The only case among the new 10 that is not linked to the Bondi cluster is a student from St Charles Catholic Primary School at Waverley.

Ms Berejiklian said if unlinked cases began to rise, she would consider a lockdown.

The Bondi Covid-19 testing clinic is busy after the cluster grew to 21 infections: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

“At this stage we follow Dr Chant and the health advice,” she said.

“Because all but one case is linked to an existing case and that case was only discovered a few hours ago … that gives us a degree of confidence that what we have asked people to do matches the risk that is there at the moment.

“If that changes, if we suddenly have a number of unlinked cases and if we suddenly have them outside the geographic region they are concentrated in that we will obviously adjust the health advice and we will respond to that (idea of a lockdown).”

However, Ms Berejiklian did announce a week-long extension of mask restrictions to all of greater Sydney.

Masks will remain compulsory on public transport and indoor venues until midnight on Wednesday, June 30.

In addition, that mandate has also been extended across Greater Sydney from 4pm today,

This includes the Blue Mountains and the Illawarra regions, but not the Central Coast.

Ms Gladys Berejiklian and Dr Chant say unlinked cases could cause a lockdown. in Sydney Australia. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“We will extend it to all of Greater Sydney. That means excluding the Central Coast and excluding the Hunter, but also they will be required to adhere to that compulsory mask wearing indoors for hospitality workers when we are going shopping, going grocery shopping, going to events inside,” she told reporters.

“It is only when you are eating or drinking indoors at a venue that you can’t or shouldn’t wear a mask. In every other circumstance, if you live or are in Sydney, you must wear a mask for another week beyond Wednesday midnight.”

WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE SYDNEY’S LAST LOCKDOWN

The Northern Beaches was plunged into a hard lockdown last December when the Avalon cluster quickly spiralled out of control.

Things escalated incredibly quickly and within a matter of days the outbreak had grown to 38 cases, triggering stay-at-home orders on December 19.

Residents were told to stay home unless they needed to work, shop for essentials, seek medical care, on compassionate grounds or for exercise.

The cluster continued to balloon to more than 150 cases.

The northern zone (north of the Narrabeen Bridge) of the Northern Beaches was locked down for three weeks over the Christmas and New Year period.

Those living south of Narrabeen Bridge were freed from lockdown a week earlier than their northern neighbours.

There was also another cluster in Berala, in Sydney’s west, that emerged at the same time as the Northern Beaches cluster.

Many of the cases were linked to the local BWS and the source was a man who drove international flight crews to and from Sydney Airport - similar to how the Bondi outbreak started.