The Berejiklian government will face mounting pressure to make face masks on public transport mandatory after it emerged two positive COVID-19 cases travelled on a peak hour bus.
NSW Health is "strongly advising" commuters to wear masks at all times after two cases linked to the growing CBD coronavirus cluster travelled on a bus from the CBD to the eastern suburbs.
All passengers on the bus are considered close contacts and must self-isolate for 14 days and undergo testing. NSW Health is using Opal data to contact commuters.
The warning relates to the X39 bus from Pitt Street opposite Australia Square at 6.08pm on August 20 which arrived at Clovelly Rd and Carrington Road at Randwick at 6.40pm.
One of the positive cases was wearing a mask on the bus but it is not clear if the other was.
Both cases live and work in the same areas and disembarked at the same spot. NSW Health says it is investigating the source of the second person’s infection.
NSW Health believes as many as 11 passengers were on the bus during the trip, although one of the passengers did not have their Opal card details registered.
Health experts have been urging the Berejiklian government to make masks for commuters compulsory arguing it would give the government the ability to move more people around the city.
CCTV footage has revealed that mask-wearing levels at Sydney stations are as low as 30 per cent.
NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance said on Sunday night that he urged commuters to wear masks, sit on the green dots and not travel if feeling unwell.
NSW recorded seven new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, including a student at a western Sydney school and five linked to the CBD cluster, which has grown to 28.
On Sunday night, Chatswood Chase shopping centre put out an alert after a customer who visited Sushi Rio on August 27 returned a positive COVID-19 test. The customer visited the store between 5:45pm and 7:30pm.
Health authorities urged people to stick to the 1.5-metre rule, but also singled out public transport as a situation where people should be wearing masks.
"NSW Health strongly advises everyone travelling by public transport to wear a mask at all times," the department said in a statement.
St Paul's Catholic College in Greystanes, in Sydney's west, will be closed for deep cleaning on Monday after a student attended school while infectious. Close contacts are being notified.
Reddam Early Learning Centre at Lindfield has also been closed for cleaning after a staff member tested positive. The staff member is a household contact of a previously reported case linked to the CBD cluster, and will be counted in Monday's figures.
The NSW government is under increasing pressure to make masks mandatory on public transport.Credit:Janie Barrett
The staff member worked three days between August 25-27 while unknowingly being infectious.
There are also warnings for several other venues, including anyone who visited Highfield Caringbah pub for more than two hours on August 22 from 6pm to 8.30pm.
They are considered a close contact of a previously reported case and must isolate immediately for 14 days since that date and seek testing.
People who used the weights room at Fitness First Randwick on August 23 between 3.30pm and 4.15pm are considered close contacts of a previously reported case and should also immediately isolate for 14 days and be tested.
Broadway shopping centre in Ultimo has told customers that a person who tested positive to COVID-19 visited the homewares store House on August 24 at 2pm.
Anybody who was at the store at that time should monitor for symptoms and self-isolate if necessary. The store was closed for a deep clean on Sunday.
Broadway shopping centre said in a community statement that based on the health advice, shoppers who visited other stores at that time, or who visited House at another time, should not be alarmed.
One of the new cases diagnosed in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday was a returned traveller in hotel quarantine and another was locally acquired with the source still under investigation.
Meanwhile, Justice Health revealed a staff member at the Surry Hills police cells complex has tested positive. In a statement, NSW Health said the community must remain "vigilant" as COVID-19 continues to circulate.
"People should ensure that they stay at least 1.5m from others and that they wear a mask in situations - especially on public transport - where physical distancing is difficult," NSW Health said.
There were 19,626 tests done in NSW, down from 24,632 the previous day.
Victoria recorded 114 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 more deaths in the past 24 hours while Queensland reported four new COVID-19 cases, all linked to known outbreaks.
Swimmers made the most of the warm weather at Coogee beach on Sunday.Credit:Xavier Wastnage
NSW Health says people who have been to the following location should monitor for symptoms:
- Mater Clinic Wollstonecraft – 28 August from 8.30am to 9am
- Virgin Active Pitt St Gym, Sydney, - 25 August from 5pm to 6.30pm*
- Virgin Active Margaret St Gym, Sydney – 26 August from 5.10pm to 6.40pm*
- House, Broadway, - 24 August 2pm to 2.10pm
- St Ives Shopping Centre – 26 August from 5.30pm to 6pm
- Highfield Caringbah 22 August from 6:00pm to 8:30pm*
- Caringbah Hotel 22 August from 8:30pm to 11pm*
- Bus 442, Gladstone Park, Darling St, to Gladstone Park, Darling St on 25 August, 9.18am to
9.31am - Bus 442, QVB, York St, Stand B to Darling St, at Phillip St, Balmain on 25 August 2.39pm to
2.52pm - Bus: Merrylands Park to Parramatta station, on 27 August, approximately 7:10pm
- Train: Parramatta station to Lidcombe station, on 27 August, approximately 7:10pm
- Train: Lidcombe station to Merrylands station, on 27 August, approximately 7:20pm
- Train: Merrylands station to Parramatta station, 24, 25 and 26 August, approximately 3:40pm
- Train: Parramatta station to Mount Druitt, 24, 25 and 26 August, approximately 3:45pm to 4pm
*If you are contacted by NSW Health and identified as a close contact you must immediately
be tested and self-isolate for 14 days.
Alexandra Smith is the State Political Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald.
Harriet Alexander is a reporter for the Herald.
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2020-08-30 11:57:00Z
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