NSW restrictions to remain despite no more cases

NSW restrictions remain in place while health authorities hunt the source of two locally acquired cases.

Healthcare staff waiting for people to present for COVID-19 testing at Bondi Beach on the weekend. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

The NSW government has ­extended its COVID-19 restrictions for an extra week, despite registering no cases of community transmission at the weekend.

Restrictions are set to remain in place until next Monday, affecting most of Greater Sydney, including Wollongong, the Blue Mountains and the central coast.

The cautionary decision comes as NSW Health continues to investigate how a Woollahra man in his 50s contracted COVID-19, before passing it on to his wife.

Last week, NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant confirmed that the man had tested positive despite not travelling overseas, working in border or quarantine roles or coming into contact with a hospital.

In a statement on Sunday, NSW Health said restrictions would “remain in place in order to safeguard the community and reduce the risk of further transmission while investigations continued.”

“NSW Health has not identified how the initial case was ­exposed to COVID-19, which suggests he acquired the infection through brief contact with an unidentified person who was infectious in the community,” the statement read.

While NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian did not appear at a press conference, she took to ­social media to thank the public for its patience, saying contact tracers were continuing to track down the source that infected the man in his 50s.

From Monday, customers ­attending retail and hospitality ven­ues will be able to shop without wearing a mask but “public-­facing retail staff” must continue to do so.

Households will be limited to 20 visitors, including children, and masks will remain compulsory on public transport and in public indoor venues, including aged-care centres.

Visitors to aged-care centres are still limited to two people per day.

Pubs will not be allowed to have patrons standing up and drinking.

Dancing will continue to be prohibited, apart from at weddings, and singing at indoor shows or at church is also not ­allowed.