Coronavirus: death of man in early 70s raises toll

Another person has died of coronavirus in NSW while authorities race to find passengers who came in contact with a COVID-positive taxi driver in western Sydney.

The Royal North Shore Hospital in St Leonards, Sydney. Earlier this year the hospital built a dedicated Covid-19 recovery ward. Picture: AAP

Another person has died of coronavirus in NSW and a major contact tracing operation is under way after a COVID-positive taxi driver ferried scores of passengers across multiple western Sydney suburbs for nine days while he was possibly infectious.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the latest fatality, a man aged in his early 70s, died at Royal North Shore Hospital on Saturday, bringing the state’s death toll to 55.

“He got the disease from one of the CBD clusters recently and unfortunately succumbed to the disease,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this very difficult time.”

NSW reported two new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, one a returned traveller in hotel quarantine, the other a taxi driver who worked for 10 days while potentially infectious.

NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Jeremy McAnulty said the man attended “various locations” in western Sydney, south western Sydney, and the state’s south coast.

Authorities are now scrambling to track down passengers who entered the man’s taxi between September 8 and 18.

NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Jeremy McAnulty. Picture: NCA Newswire/ Gaye Gerard

NSW Health said early investigations indicate the man caught the virus at Liverpool Hospital, which would bring that outbreak to 17 cases.

The man drove passengers through the suburbs of Moorebank, Bankstown, Chipping Norton, Liverpool, Lidcombe, Warwick Farm and Milperra.

He also stopped at several places for food during this period, meaning all people in those locations are considered close contacts.

Anyone who attended Carlo’s Italian on September 12 between 2pm and 6.15pm and the Milton Ex Servos in Ulladulla between 8pm and 9.30pm on the same day is considered a close contact if they were there for more than one hour.

The same warning has been issued for anyone who attended Campbelltown Golf Club’s TAB area between 2pm and 4.30pm on September 16, or the Bannisters Pavilion Rooftop Bar and Grill in Mollymook on September 13 between 12.30pm and 2.15pm.

NSW Health said the man had the COVIDSafe app, which is being used to track the potential spread.

Meanwhile, NSW workers who are forced to isolate will now be able to seek a pandemic leave payment of $1500 if they don’t have paid leave entitlements.

“The support is there. We want to make sure, first and foremost, that those who need to isolate do so,” Ms Berejiklian said.

Health officials conducted 13,635 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, the lowest number in almost a week.

Ms Berejiklian wants to boost the number of tests conducted each day in NSW to at least 20,000 in the lead-up to the school holidays.

NSW Health is treating 78 COVID-19 cases in hospital, including two in intensive care. One of the ICU patients are currently being ventilated.