As it happened: NSW records 97 new cases of COVID-19, Sydney lockdown extended for two weeks; 11 cases in Victoria as MCG named an exposure site

The Victorian government has tightened COVID-19 restrictions around face masks as the number of cases and exposure sites rise.

In a late night tweet, the government said that from 11.59pm on Wednesday face mask rules would change for anyone aged 12 and above.

Face masks will be mandatory indoors, including all workplaces and secondary schools (not at home), unless an exemption applies.

Masks must also be worn outdoors if you cannot maintain a 1.5 metre distance from people who are not from your household (such as when undertaking outdoor exercise).

The government said exceptions would apply and these can be found here.

Thanks for following our live coverage of the day’s events. A lot has happened in the past 12 hours and the situation is rapidly evolving in Victoria tonight. Here’s everything you need to know now:

• NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed this morning that the lockdown in Greater Sydney, now in its third week, will be extended by at least another two weeks from Monday (that’s until 11.59pm on Friday July 30). She says the state needs to be “flexible and nimble during this pandemic”.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday in Sydney.Credit: James Brickwood

• NSW reported 97 new local COVID-19 cases, 24 of which were in the community during their infectious period and seven of which were in isolation for only part of their infectious period. The premier has said that number needs to be as close as possible to zero before the lockdown can be lifted.

A COVID-19 outbreak has locked down all the residents of the Ariele Apartments in Maribyrnong.Credit: Jason South

• Victoria has recorded 11 new local coronavirus cases, including one announced earlier today, a further seven announced before midday and three more this evening. The cases are linked to the locked-down Ariele Apartments complex in Maribyrnong in Melbourne’s north-west, which was visited by two removalists from Sydney while they were infectious, and a Victorian family who returned recently from Sydney.
• Four of those 11 cases are residents of the Ariele Apartments. One of the four residents is a man in his 60s who visited the MCG on Saturday, July 10, between 4pm and 8pm. He sat on level two of the MCG Members’ Reserve for the Carlton vs Geelong game. Another two cases are his parents, who do not live in the building. A further three cases, confirmed late today, are a Bacchus Marsh teacher who attended the MCG at this time with a resident of the apartment complex. Two of the teacher’s family members have also tested positive.
• The first Victorian case reported this morning is the fourth member of the Victorian family, all of whom have now tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from Sydney. A new case reported today, a man in his 30s, is linked to the family because he visited Craigieburn Coles around the same time as one member of that family (who was supposed to be in isolation).
• A cabinet meeting involving the Victorian government’s eight most senior ministers, including Premier Daniel Andrews, is set to be held on Wednesday evening and will meet again on Thursday morning to discuss a response to the fast-growing crisis as some experts urged the government to reintroduce mask-wearing and ask people to work from home if they can.

This is Michaela Whitbourn signing off on the blog now. My colleague Broede Carmody will be back with you from 6am.

The Victorian government has tightened COVID-19 restrictions around face masks as the number of cases and exposure sites rise.

In a late night tweet, the government said that from 11.59pm on Wednesday face mask rules would change for anyone aged 12 and above.

Face masks will be mandatory indoors, including all workplaces and secondary schools (not at home), unless an exemption applies.

Masks must also be worn outdoors if you cannot maintain a 1.5 metre distance from people who are not from your household (such as when undertaking outdoor exercise).

The government said exceptions would apply and these can be found here.

A dozen new tier-1 exposure sites have been added to Victoria’s official list of COVID-19 exposure sites this evening, taking the total number of locations to 45.

The new additions include 11 individual footwear and fashion outlets at the Uni Hill DFO in the northern Melbourne suburb of Bundoora and Yarra Trams route 82.

Authorities had already listed the whole of the shopping centre as a tier-2 site for a two-hour window on Friday afternoon between 4.30 and 6.30pm, but have now listed the individual stores visited by someone with COVID-19.

Anyone who visited the Nike, New Balance, Puma, Fila, ASICS, Under Armour, yd, Cotton On, Adidas, Rivers or Connor Clothing outlets at the specified times is required to get tested for the virus and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.

Authorities also alerted anyone who visited Bizzler Take-Away Food on Barry Road in Campbellfield between 2.30pm and 3.30pm on Sunday that the venue is now considered a tier-1 site.

Yarra Trams Route 82 (Edgewater Square/Gordon St Maribyrnong, to Leeds St/Footscray Station, Footscray) is listed as a tier-1 site on July 10 between 2.09pm and 2.25pm.

The Sunbury Line (Footscray Station to Flinders Street Station) is listed as a tier-2 site on July 10 from 2.27pm to 2.46pm and anyone on the train at this time is requested to get tested urgently and isolate until a result is received.

Footscray Station was listed as a tier-3 site on the same date between 2.25pm and 2.30pm.

Staff and students at a Bellarine Peninsula primary school are being told to limit their movements after authorities confirmed a positive case of COVID-19 on Wednesday.

The Victorian Health Department is currently investigating the origin of a new case at Barwon Heads Primary School, about 100 kilometres south-west of downtown Melbourne.

A student at Barwon Heads Primary School has tested positive to COVID-19.Credit: Joe Armao

In a message to parents on Wednesday night, principal Daniel Vella encouraged the school community to remain vigilant and get tested if even the mildest symptoms arise.

“A confirmed case of COVID-19 has been reported at Barwon Heads Primary School,” Mr Vella.

“As a result, the site is now closed to all students, staff and community members until further notice.

This means no on-site supervision will be available.

“While the Department of Health conducts its investigation, staff and students must stay home and limit their movements until advised otherwise.

“If you or anyone in your family develop even the mildest of symptoms, please get tested.

Earlier on Wednesday Bacchus Marsh Grammar was closed after a teacher and two of his family members tested positive for the virus, taking the number of new cases detected on Wednesday to 11.

The teacher had attended the school’s staff day on Monday but had not been in contact with any students, health authorities said.

It is yet to be confirmed whether the two cases are linked.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg attended the same AFL match as two newly identified positive COVID-19 cases on Saturday.

In a tweet sent out on Saturday afternoon with Blues legend Chris Judd, Mr Frydenberg said he was “looking forward to this afternoon’s game at the ’G”.

Mr Frydenberg’s office said the Treasurer was not in the members area and did not enter the tier-2 exposure site.

The Carlton v Geelong clash, held at the MCG on July 10, is currently listed as a tier-3 exposure site on the Victorian Health Department’s website. Level two of the MCC members’ reserve section is currently listed as a tier-2 site.

Both of Melbourne’s new outbreaks resulted from people breaking the rules. The largest, where nine of the 11 new Victorian cases emerged, was Ariele Apartment complex in Maribyrnong, where three removalists from Sydney worked last week.

One of the residents of the apartment complex, a man in his 60s who has since tested positive for COVID-19, attended the AFL match on Saturday. Another Barwon man who teaches at Bacchus Marsh Grammar has also tested positive after attending the event with a friend from the Maribyrnong apartments.

The teacher at Bacchus Marsh Grammar who has tested positive to COVID-19 went to the MCG on Saturday with a friend who lives in the Ariele apartments in Maribyrnong, which has since been locked down amid an outbreak of cases.

The Barwon man also attended an all-staff event at the school’s Maddingley campus on Monday, then began to feel unwell on Monday evening.

Two of his family members have since tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases reported in Victoria today to 11. A tranche of seven new cases was reported at about 11.30am, in addition to one case reported earlier in the morning.

Government sources also confirmed on Wednesday that after the football the teacher went to pub Young and Jackson on the corner of Flinders Street and Swanston Street in the CBD. It brings the number of positive cases that attended the MCG on Saturday to two.

The second case is a man in his 60s from the Ariele apartments, whose parents have also tested positive to COVID-19.

Marsh Grammar Principal Andrew Neal said Monday’s gathering was the first time that staff had been together in 18 months. He estimated that about 315 staff were in attendance.

“The staff have been directed to stay at home and isolate, the department have urged them to get tested,” Mr Neal said.

“The students have also been asked to isolate at this stage but they don’t have to get tested at the moment.”

There are now nine cases linked to the Ariele apartments, including four residents, the parents of the man in his 60s, the Bacchus Marsh teacher and his two family members.

Victorian health authorities added almost 20 new locations to their official list of exposure sites on Wednesday afternoon after eight new cases of COVID-19 were identified by authorities.

The new additions take the total number of entries on the list to 33 as of 6.30pm on Wednesday, up from just one early on Monday, and include extended dates for the Maribyrnong apartment complex at the centre of one of the new clusters.

Ariele Apartments, which was visited by a pair of COVID-positive removalists from Sydney last Thursday, has been listed as a tier 1 exposure site for the whole day on Tuesday, after already being listed from July 8 to July 12.

A tier 1 listing means that anyone who visited the venue needs to get tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.

Other new tier 1 additions include a medical imaging centre in Epping and a lingerie outlet in Highpoint Shopping Centre, which was visited by a man in his 60s who lives in the apartments and has since tested positive to the virus.

There were also over a dozen tier 2 sites added on Wednesday afternoon, including a medical clinic, dentist and a lab collection centre in Epping and a DFO outlet in Bundoora.

People who have attended tier-2 venues at the specified times need to isolate until they test negative for the virus.

New exposure sites since 1.30pm are as follows:

Tier 1

• Southern Cross Medical Imaging in Epping, July 12, 9.45am to 10.35am
• Maribyrnong Bras N Things, Highpoint Shopping Centre, July 9, 11.15am to 11.30am
• Maribyrnong Ariele Apartments, July 13, 12.00am to 11.59pm. This applies to anyone who accessed the residential foyer, stairwells, lift, residential floors and carpark.

Tier 2

• North Dental Clinic, Epping, July 12, 9.45am to 10.35am.
• ACL Collection Centre, Epping, July 12, 9.45am to 10.35am.
• O’Herns Road/Dalton Road Medical Centre, Epping, July 12, 10.35am.
• Bundoora DFO Uni Hill, July 9, 4.40pm to 6.40pm.
• ALDI Maribyrnong, July 11, 4.10pm to 5pm.
• Highpoint Shopping Centre, Food Court Level 1 (near Strike Bowling), Maribyrnong, July 9, 11.40am to 12.20pm.

Victorian travellers to South Australia must have a COVID-19 test upon arrival from midnight tonight and must avoid high-risk settings including aged care.

The restrictions have been imposed by the South Australian government in response to a growing COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne, linked to Sydney-based removalists who travelled to Victoria while infectious and a Melbourne family who returned recently from Sydney.

NSW Health has just released more alerts for venues, mostly located in Sydney’s south west, that were visited by known COVID-19 cases.Anyone who attended the following venues is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days:

• Redfern, Strawberry Hills Post Shop on July 8 between 1.00pm and 2.30pm
• Fairfield, Sunshine One, Neeta City Shopping Centre on July 9 between 10.40am to 11.10am
• Cabramatta, TrueScan Radiology on July 13 between 11.00am and 1.00pm
• Cabramatta, Cabramatta Medical and Dental Clinic on July 13 between 10.30am and 11.30am

Anyone who attended the following venues is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received:

• Rosebery, Valentino Place residential apartment complex 1, 5, 9 Rothschild Avenue; 2, 4, 6, Spring Street and 2, 4 Stedman Street all day on July 8, 9, 10 ,11 and 12
• Merrylands, Sadaqat Supermarket on July 8 between 4:00pm and 7:00pm
• Hurstville, Adam’s Kebabs and Pizza-Pide on July 9 between 2.00am and 2.20am
• North Rocks, Coles North Rocks on July 9 between 10.00am and 10.40am
• Fairfield Heights, 7-Eleven, 234 Hamilton Road and The Boulevarde on July 9 between 10.15am and 10.30am
• Fairfield, Red Lea Chicken, Neeta City Shopping Centre on July 9 between
• 10.20am and 10.50am
• Bonnyrigg, Bunnings on July 9 between 10.45am and 12.00pm
• Fairfield Heights, Woolworths on July 9 between 11.10am and 11.40am
• Waterloo, Aldi Waterloo on July 10 between 9.30am and 10.00am
• Fairfield Heights, Woolworths, Fairfield Heights Shopping Mall on July 10 between 9.35pm and 10.00pm
• Hurstville, Starbucks Westfield Hurstville on July 7 between 8.00am and 8.10am, July 10 between midday and 12:05pm and July 11 between 12.10pm and 12.15pm
• Fairfield, Coles, Fairfield Forum on July 10 between 2.00pm and 3.00pm
• Merrylands, Woolworths Pitt Street on July 10 between 2.15pm and 3:45pm
• Fairfield, Fruitmania on July 10 between 3pm and 4pm
• Fairfield, Meat Market, Fairfield Forum, on July 10 between 3pm and 4pm
• Wetherill Park, Woolworths on July 10 between 4.15pm and 5.15pm
• Fairfield Heights, Woolworths, Fairfield Heights Shopping Mall July 11 between 8pm and 8.25pm
• Punchbowl, Ampol Foodary on July 12 between 4.20pm to 4.35pm

A full list of exposure sites can be viewed here.

Surgeries at Liverpool Hospital in Sydney’s south-west were postponed on Wednesday after a patient undergoing a C-section tested positive to COVID-19.

A spokesperson for the hospital confirmed on Wednesday night that a patient receiving care at the hospital had returned a positive test and said non-urgent surgery had been postponed so the hospital’s theatres could be deep cleaned.

Surgeries at Liverpool Hospital were postponed on Wednesday.Credit: Kate Geraghty

“Emergency surgery has been maintained,” the spokesperson said. They said affected procedures would be rescheduled for “as soon as possible”.

The Sydney Morning Herald understands the patient was having a C-section delivery.

Brett Holmes, general secretary of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, said the exposure affected a large number of operating theatre staff.

“There is no excess staffing pool in Liverpool Hospital that could be called on into theatres as it’s a specialist area of practice,” he said.

“It is possible Bankstown and Campbelltown hospital could send staff but it means their own theatres are going to have to adjust.

“Following recent COVID-19 exposures at Fairfield and Royal North Shore hospitals, Mr Holmes warned there was “no slack left in the system”.

“We are exhausting our workforce and we need to make sure patients aren’t at risk,” he said.