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Coronavirus NSW live updates: Three new cases for the state

A hotel quarantine guard has been lashed by a top cop and slapped with two hefty fines after he allegedly went shopping with the virus.

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less than 2 min read
August 24, 2020 - 7:49AM
National Cabinet playing ‘political football’

A Sydney security guard, who failed to isolate after being swabbed for coronavirus, has been fined by police.

The 22-year-old guard had been working at the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel when he contracted the virus, the second security guard to catch COVID-19 at the quarantine hotel.

Police allege the 22-year-old failed to isolate after being swabbed for coronavirus on Thursday afternoon, despite NSW Health authorities advising him to do so.

The guard instead went shopping at Westfield Burwood, in Sydney's west, on Thursday afternoon and then attended Service NSW, also in Burwood, on Friday afternoon.

He returned a positive result on Saturday, triggering virus warnings for the Burwood venues however NSW CHO Dr Kerry Chant said today the risk of transmission was "very low".

Despite avoiding a shutdown of the Burwood venues, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said the 22-year-old should've known better and described his alleged behaviour as "absolutely disappointing".

The 22-year-old has been handed two $1000 fines for breaching coronavirus directions and will spend the next 14 days in a NSW Health quarantine facility.

NSW recorded three new cases today. Two were returned travellers in hotel quarantine and the final case was a close contact of a healthcare worker at Liverpool Hospital. Both of those cases were already in isolation.

Updates

'Absolutely disappointing': Hotel guard fined

A Sydney security guard, who failed to isolate after being swabbed for coronavirus, has been fined by police.

The 22-year-old guard had been working at the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel when he contracted the virus, the second security guard to catch COVID-19 at the quarantine hotel.

Police allege the 22-year-old failed to isolate after being swabbed for coronavirus on Thursday afternoon, despite NSW Health authorities advising him to do so.

The guard instead went shopping at Westfield Burwood, in Sydney's west, on Thursday afternoon and then attended Service NSW, also in Burwood, on Friday afternoon.

He returned a positive result on Saturday, triggering virus warnings for the Burwood venues however NSW CHO Dr Kerry Chant said today the risk of transmission was "very low".

Despite avoiding a shutdown of the Burwood venues, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said the 22-year-old should've known better and described his alleged behaviour as "absolutely disappointing".

"You have people working in high-risk locations that have induction processes and everyday are reminded about the seriousness of this," he said.

"To have that person be told that they were positive to COVID and then to immediately go home and self-isolate and then not just on one occasion but on a second occasion not comply.

"The issuing of the tickets last night as an indication of how serious it was."

The 22-year-old has been handed two $1000 fines for breaching coronavirus directions and will spend the next 14 days in a NSW Health quarantine facility.

Reasoning behind NSW's 'hotspot' list

NSW's top health boss has explained exactly why she continues to put local government areas on the state's "hotspot" list.

Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said NSW Health would continue to identify regions in the state that needed increased testing to stop community transmission from kicking off.

"We have identified on our website suburbs where we want increased testing," Dr Chant said.

"They are usually associated with where we have had infectious patients that may have been out in the community and also in times where we have been seeing some ongoing transmission in areas and we want to call forward the community to be particularly vigilant for signs and symptoms that help us identify any further chains of transmission.

"So not all of the suburbs indicated are where we have concerns around community transmission.

"In reality, they are around our assurance there is no community transmission. And it is important that we get the community in those areas to come forward for testing."

Dr Chant said some local government areas were kept on NSW Health's list because "we know how stealthy the virus is".

"It can be transmitting in communities because of its mildness of symptoms. So often those localities stay on there for two or three weeks after a person might have presented with infections in those areas."

Dr Chant reminded NSW residents that health authorities review and revise their list weekly.

City of Sydney last week disputed the use of the term "hotspot" after NSW Health listed a number of inner city suburbs as places that needed increased testing and surveillance.

Hotel quarantine guard's virus levels 'very low'

There were fears a number of Sydney venues would be shut down after a second security guard, working in hotel quarantine, tested positive to coronavirus.

However NSW's chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said his level of infection was "very low" and the risk to the community was minimal.

"The second security guard who worked at Sydney Harbour Marriott hotel who has tested positive, we have indicated a number of venues that that security guard attended, potentially in his infectious period," Dr Chant said.

"However, further testing has indicated his level of infectiousness at that time was very low and it is unlikely we are going to be able to isolate any virus from his samples given that low level of infectiousness."

COVID testing is free regardless of Medicare eligibility

NSW's chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant has reminded residents of the state that coronavirus testing is free to everyone.

"Even if you have not got Medicare eligibility, COVID testing is free," Dr Chant told reporters this morning.

"So come forward for testing in any of our public clinics, any of our hospitals, or go to our website for those clinics and treatment for COVID and the tests associated with COVID are free."

NSW records three new cases

NSW has recorded three new cases of coronavirus, with the state's premier Gladys Berejiklian labelling it a "pleasing result".

Two of the three cases are in returned travellers in hotel quarantine, leaving only one case from community transmission.

The community transmission case is a close contact of a previously reported case from Liverpool Hospital. They were already in isolation when their test came back positive.

Ms Berejiklian said the three cases had been found from more than 20,000 tests.

NSW passed a milestone of two million tests overnight.

Queensland records one new case

Queensland has recorded one new case of coronavirus overnight.

The case is a close contact of worker at Brisbane Youth Detention Centre in Wacol.

Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeanette Young said the close contact, a relative of one of the workers, had been in quarantine since August 22.

The new case means five detention centre workers and five of their relatives have now caught coronavirus.

The outbreak occurred after a worker in her 60s continued to attend the detention centre while infectious.

Dr Young said, in light of the new cases, Queensland Health would now be advising all hospitals across greater Brisbane to encourage mask use.

All patients, visitors and staff will now be asked to wear masks in hospitals.

Victoria sees another massive drop in cases

Just some quick news over the border – Victoria has seen yet another massive drop in its daily coronavirus update, recording another 116 cases.

The case number is the lowest seen in Victoria since July 5.

Despite the promising drop in cases, Victoria tragically lost another 15 people to coronavirus.

Vaccine at least a year away: UK CMO

As Australia pins its hopes on a coronavirus vaccine being ready by early next year, the UK's chief medical officer admitted he'd be "quite surprised" if the world had a vaccine ready for a large population before the end of next year.

UK chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty told reporters he hoped his prediction was a "pessimistic statement" but it was more important the vaccine works and was safe.

“I would obviously be delighted if a vaccine came earlier rather than later but I’d be quite surprised if we had a highly effective vaccine ready for mass use in a large percentage of the population before the end of (European) winter, certainly before this side of Christmas," Prof Whitty said.

“I think it is unlikely we will have a vaccine that is highly effective and ready to deploy at scale this (European) winter meaning 2020/21. I think there is a reasonable chance that we will have vaccines, not a certainty, in the period before the following (European) winter of 2021/22.”

Prof Whitty has been involved in the Oxford vaccine development – the vaccine currently in stage three trials that Australia signed a letter of intent with last week.

The UK CMO said everyone was working "to try and see if we can get a vaccine at extraordinarily fast speed" but encouraged people to lower their expectations.

“I think if we look forward a year, the chances are much greater than if we look forward six months," he said.

“We should plan on the basis we will not have a vaccine and then if one does prove to be effective and safe and available, we’re in a strong position to be able to use it.’’

Virus warning for Westfield shoppers

Sydneysiders are being warned to be on alert for coronavirus symptoms after an infectious case visited a busy Westfield.

NSW Health issued the warning yesterday for Burwood, in Sydney's west, after the person tested positive to coronavirus over the weekend.

Westfield Burwood shoppers – especially anyone who attended Kmart and Woolworths between 6.30pm and 7pm on Thursday August 20 – should watch for coronavirus symptoms.

Anyone who attended Service NSW in Burwood from 2.30pm to 3pm on Friday August 21 should also be on high alert for symptoms.

NSW Health said anyone who attended any of the venues during those times are considered casual contacts however, "should monitor for symptoms, no matter how slight, and immediately isolate and get tested if they appear".

NSW recorded four new coronavirus cases on Sunday.

Toddler’s family wins border battle

A Queensland family have won a battle to return home after their two year old daughter underwent life saving open heart surgery in a Sydney hospital.

Luella Gilliland recently underwent the major operation at Westmead Children’s Hospital, however her parents have been in a battle to get her home after the operation, they told 9 News.

Luella’s mum and dad had their application to quarantine in their home instead of a hotel rejected by the Queensland government twice.

“We pose zero risk to the community, you know,” Laurren Gilliland said. “Once we drive over that border, we’ll be going straight home and we won’t be having any contact with anybody for two weeks.”

Picture: 9 News

The Queensland Government gave the family the exemption late on Sunday afternoon, after a social media campaign drove political pressure. The family are now due to leave Ronald McDonald House in Sydney on Wednesday.

Ben Gilliland said any parent whose child has needed hospital care would know it’s a “long journey and none of it’s easy”.

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