NSW records highest daily number of 112 cases in latest outbreak

NSW has recorded 112  new infections in the 24 hours to 8:00pm yesterday. Of these locally acquired cases, 64 are linked to a known case or cluster , 41 are household contacts and 23 are close contacts  and the source of infection for 48 cases remains under investigation.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the number of people out in the community while infectious needs to drop dramatically in order for the lockdown to end.

"Can I stress that is the number that we need to see go down to as close to zero as possible before we can get advice from health to say the lock down can end," she said.

"It is critical, that is something all of us have a role to play in, all of us have to make sure that if anyone has symptoms, get tested and stay at home”

"The vast majority of cases are in the Fairfield local Government area. Everybody in Fairfield should be staying at home unless they absolutely have to."

Ms Berejikllian said it was critical that people with symptoms go straight to get tested, rather than go to their GP, as transmission of the virus had occurred at several medical centres and pharmacies.

Meantime, Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant today listed the “key suburbs” that were on NSW Health’s radar and had the most cases.

The suburbs of concern are Fairfield, Smithfield, Bossley Park, Fairfield Heights, Fairfield West, Wakeley, Bonnyrigg, Glenfield and West Hoxton.

“The reason I am reading these case locations out is because we do need to make sure that every member of that community understands every time they go out of their house for an essential good, if they go shopping, they need to assume that someone next to them has Covid,” Dr Chant said.

“Everyone across Greater Sydney should assume that but we are conveying that in these areas, the risk is even greater.

Chief health officer Kerry Chant said health authorities were beginning to see a rise in cases among 18-20-year-olds in the Georges River, Bayside and Sutherland LGAs, and were passing it on to household contacts.

An infectious diseases expert has forecast it may take up to six weeks for Sydney to gain control of its spiralling COVID-19 outbreak.