Health authorities in New South Wales have issued a warning after a staff member at a second Thai Rock restaurant in Sydney tested positive to coronavirus.
In a statement released on Sunday night, NSW Health urged anyone who attended the Thai Rock restaurant at Potts Point for two hours or more between 15 July and 25 July to immediately get a COVID-19 test and self-isolate for 14 days since they were last there, regardless of symptoms.
Anyone who visited the Potts Point location for less than two hours on those dates should monitor for symptoms and immediately isolate and seek testing if they appear.
It follows an investigation into a case announced last week who had reported attending the Potts Point location on 17 July. Investigations into the source of the infection and contact tracing are underway.
Thai Rock Potts Point has the same owners as Thai Rock Wetherill Park, but investigations to date have not identified links between cases at the two sites.
“If you are directed to isolate, you must remain in isolation for a full 14 days even if your initial test is negative. If you do develop COVID-19 symptoms, you should be retested, even if you have had a negative result previously,” the NSW Health statement said.
NSW Health is also urging anyone who attended AN Restaurant in Bankstown on 23 July from 9am to 11am and Tan Viet Noodle House in Cabramatta on 22 July from 1pm to 2pm to monitor for symptoms after those restaurants were exposed to the virus.
Meanwhile, Georges River Grammar School in Georges Hall has closed for deep cleaning after a student tested positive to COVID-19. The child is linked with funeral and related church service clusters in south-western Sydney.
Another 14 cases
NSW reported 14 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, with the Thai Rock Wetherill Park cluster rising to 67. Two cases were also linked to the Our Lady of Lebanon Church.
Four cases were associated with a cluster tied to a funeral service at St Brendan's Catholic Church, Bankstown last Saturday morning.
NSW Health says isolation and testing are musts for everyone who attended the service, a burial at Rookwood later that day and Mount Pritchard's Our Lady of Mount Carmel the next day, 19 July.
Those at a 16 July service at St Brendan's and at a Fairfield funeral home on 16 July must also heed the same advice to "isolate, get tested for COVID-19 regardless of any symptoms, and continue to self-isolate for 14 days even if the test is negative", the health department says.
No new cases were linked to the Crossroads Hotel or Batemans Bay Soldiers Club clusters.
Three new cases recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm Saturday were returned travellers while one case remains under investigation.
Four cases have been associated with a cluster tied to a funeral service at St Brendan's Catholic Church, Bankstown. Source: Google Maps
More than 25,100 tests were reported across that time after a record 30,535 were processed in the previous 24 hours.
NSW Health has now recorded 3,479 cases - up 249 in the past 21 days.
Dr Jeremy McAnulty from NSW Health said it is imperative that people abide by the physical distancing protocols.
"NSW Health is calling on people across the state to redouble their efforts to stop the virus spreading," he said.
"Key messages include: avoid non-essential travel and gatherings. Of particular concern is transmission in venues such as hotels, and restaurants, the gym, and social gatherings."
The number of people being treated by NSW Health rose by two to 99. Four remain in intensive care, including one being ventilated and on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
Advice to avoid all non-essential travel and gathering remains in effect.
"Of particular concern is transmission in venues such as hotels and restaurants, the gym and social gatherings," the health department said in a statement.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
Additional reporting by Evan Young.
