NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has urged more people to get tested ahead of the school holidays despite a low number of locally acquired cases.
NSW recorded seven new cases to 8pm on Monday. Four were in hotel quarantine and three were locally acquired.
Changes have been made to the Public Health Order as the weather begins to warm up.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
"This is again a solid result, however we are concerned about testing numbers," Ms Berejiklian said on Tuesday.
There were 8835 tests completed in the past 24-hour reporting period, compared to 9316 the previous day.
More changes to the Public Health Order are also in effect, including fines for anyone attending a private gathering of more than 20 guests and further clarification on religious gatherings and weddings.
It comes as an infectious diseases expert said NSW does not need to reach zero cases of community transmission to be "out of the woods".
Two of the new cases were linked to the Concord and Liverpool hospitals cluster: one was in a close contact of a case linked to Concord Hospital, while the other was a healthcare worker from Liverpool Hospital.
The source of the third locally acquired case remains under investigation, in a man from south-eastern Sydney.
Three of the hotel quarantine cases were in returned overseas travellers, and the fourth was in a NSW resident who had returned from Victoria. All passengers on the same flight from Victoria to Sydney are in hotel quarantine.
A further case has also been confirmed in a student from Blue Mountains Grammar, and the school is closed for deep cleaning and contact tracing. The case will be included in Wednesday's numbers.
Ms Berejiklian said she wanted only a low level of community transmission ahead of the school holidays.
"It’s really important to keep testing rates high," she said.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said increased testing was important before people start moving about the state for holidays, and she'd like to see testing numbers over 20,000 each day.
'In a fairly safe place'
Professor Mary-Louise McLaws told Channel 9's Today show that keeping daily numbers lower than four cases a day would indicate success in virus management.
"[NSW is] potentially on track to zero but to be out of the woods you don't necessarily have to have zero but you do have to have between zero and four cases every day for twice an average incubation period," she said.
Professor McLaws added that, if NSW's cases remain at the low levels seen on Monday - with four, including just one case of community transmission - there would be little justification for other states to restrict its residents.
"We are in a fairly safe place, but we are not completely safe," she said. "I'd be waiting for another week at least but preferably another 13 days."
Her comments come as residents from NSW and the ACT could be able to visit South Australia without quarantine as early as this week, with a decision on the matter expected on Tuesday.
On Monday, South Australia's Premier Steven Marshall said he was " keen to open that border the minute we get the advice it's safe to do so".
"If we make a decision to open the border I think it would be done very, very quickly," he said.
Future bookings can be bigger, but more people face fines
On Monday afternoon changes to the Public Health Order were announced, including making all attendees to private parties with more than 20 guests liable for the $1000 fine.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Tony Crandell, who heads the police coronavirus operation, said the Public Health Order was being amended as the state heads into the party season.
"Police are taking this very seriously: we don't want an increase of people coming together to equal an increase of coronavirus cases, we don't want complacency to creep in," he said.
Other changes to the Public Health Order also came into effect at midnight on Monday.
Each separate building in a place of worship can have up to 100 people (except weddings), provided there is enough space to abide by the 4-square-metre rule. Previously, places of worship were allowed 100 people across different buildings.
Up to 150 people can be part of a wedding at a place of worship, subject to the 4-square-metre rule. However, the update clarifies that staff are not counted as part of the number of people allowed at weddings, funerals or religious services.
While a maximum of 20 visitors can attend a private residence, this excludes people viewing a property for sale, for lease, or to participate in an auction. Real estate agents must have a COVID safety plan for home viewings or auctions.
The changes to the order also allow businesses including wedding venues to take future bookings that exceed the limits, with the proviso that when the event takes place, it complies with restrictions in place at that time.
Rachel Clun is a journalist at The Sydney Morning Herald.
Mary Ward is a reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.
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2020-09-15 01:39:00Z
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