Coronavirus: Mystery over NSW man’s infection sparks community transmission fears

There have been a few new coronavirus cases revealed today but one of those has raised fears of possible community transmission.

Health authorities are investigating how a man in his 20s became infected with coronavirus, sparking fears of possible community transmission.

The patient, based in Illawarra, is one of three new infections revealed in New South Wales but the other two are returning overseas travellers and are already isolated in hotel quarantine.

Two new cases caused by community transmission have been detected in the past three days, the source of infection health authorities fear the most because it raises the possibility of untraced cases of the deadly disease.

According to the Illawarra Mercury, the man is being treated in Wollongong Hospital.

“The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District public health unit has identified and contacted close contacts of the new case, who are in self-isolation and being tested for COVID-19, as appropriate,” a spokesman told the publication.

NSW Health said the virus “may still be circulating in the community” and again encouraged anyone feeling unwell to isolate from others and get tested.

There are currently 42 patients being treated by the health department and none of them are in intensive care.

The state has recorded 50 deaths and 2766 recoveries from the 3131 cases since the pandemic first reached NSW.

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Health authorities are investigating how a man in his 20s became infected with the coronavirus, sparking fears of possible community transmission. Picture: Justin Lloyd

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Meanwhile, seven of the 12 cases of COVID-19 announced in Victoria on Monday are from the one family, the state’s health department said.

A total of 11 family members have now tested positive for the infection in households in Melbourne’s northern and southeastern suburbs.

The extended family live in Coburg, Broadmeadows and Pakenham and had recently gathered together, Victoria’s chief health officer Professor Brett Sutton told reporters on Monday.

“The family is very large … they’ve had gatherings across different households as many of us do now,” he said.

“(It’s) no fault of that family.”

Also, a person who attended a Black Lives Matter rally in Melbourne last weekend has tested positive for COVID-19, marking the second positive case from the event.

Australia has recorded 7335 coronavirus cases overall, with 3131 in NSW, 1732 in Victoria, 1065 in Queensland, 602 in Western Australia, 440 in South Australia, 228 in Tasmania, 108 in the ACT, and 29 in the Northern Territory.