13 new coronavirus cases in NSW as health officials ask people to stay home

There have been 13 new coronavirus cases in NSW with one of the state’s top health officials urging people to stay at home.

There have been 13 new cases of coronavirus in New South Wales overnight, with only one of those from hotel quarantine.

Of these, 10 are associated with the Thai Rock restaurant in Stockland Mall, Wetherill Park – four who dined at the restaurant and six being contacts of people who dined there.

Two were contacts of cases linked to the Crossroads Hotel in Casula, and one is an overseas traveller in hotel quarantine.

There are now 50 cases linked to the Crossroads and 26 linked to the Thai Rock restaurant. Another eight have been linked to the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club.

Deputy chief health officer Dr Jeremy McAnulty implored residents to consider staying home as community transmission continues to shut down pubs, gyms and restaurants across the state.

New advice from NSW Health is for residents to avoid non-essential travel as community transmission continues to cause an increase in cases. Picture: NCA NewsWire -Flavio Brancaleone

“While it is not a legal requirement, it would be preferable and safer for the time being to avoid all non-essential travel and not host or attend gatherings of more than 10 people at home (not withstanding that the legal limit is 20 people),” he said.

“Everyone should observe social distancing and hygiene measures and consider wearing a face mask in situations where social distancing is not possible.

“It is critical that anyone feeling unwell – even with the mildest of symptoms such as a runny nose or scratchy throat – seeks testing and self-isolates until they get the result.

“Stay at home, and do not go to work or catch public transport until you are cleared of COVID-19. Even if you get a negative test, stay in isolation for 14 days.”

Large queues in Bondi on Tuesday as residents line up to be tested. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Monday the next three to four weeks would determine whether NSW returned to tighter restrictions. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Monday the next three to four weeks would be crucial as NSW had hit a “critical point” in its fight against the virus.

“We do have the chance to really get ahead of the virus, to control the spread if all of us take those extra steps this week,” she said.

“If we get through the next three or four weeks the way we have, we will be able to have medium to long-term surety that NSW can keep moving forward, but if we slide backwards, that means all of us will need to face situations we shouldn’t have to.”

There are now 3410 cases of coronavirus in New South Wales. Ninety cases are being treated, with two in intensive care including one patient on a ventilator.

13 new cases of #COVID19 have been diagnosed in NSW between 8pm on 19 July and 8pm on 20 July.

For the latest list of COVID-19 locations, visit: https://t.co/6PUOQ3J3tO pic.twitter.com/I6REXBbEIm

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 21, 2020