An 83-year-old man linked to Sydney’s Crossroads Hotel COVID-19 cluster has died, taking NSW’s death toll to 52 and the national tally beyond 200.
The man died early on Saturday, NSW Health said in a statement, as they recorded 17 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday.
Of those cases, one does not have a known source and two remain under investigation, while three of the 17 cases were returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
The national death toll is 201 after three deaths also occurred in virus-hit Victoria.
NSW Health’s Dr Jeremy McAnulty offered his condolences to the man’s family and said two new cases had been located with help from the COVIDSafe app.
Those cases were connected to the Mounties club in Mt Pritchard, and those who attended the club at certain times on July 20, 21 and 22 should self-isolate and seek testing.
“While most cases in the past week have been associated with local clusters and close contacts of known cases, seven in the past week have not been able to be linked to known cases,” Dr McAnulty said on Saturday.
“These unlinked cases have been in people from southwestern Sydney, western Sydney, southeastern Sydney and Sydney local health districts.”
A pub in the state’s south-west and its licensee have been hit with fines after failing to comply with COVID-19 heath orders, while a popular venue on Sydney’s Northern Beaches has been forced to shut after hosting a COVID-positive patron.
The Bavarian, a German restaurant and bar in Manly, on Saturday morning said a patron with coronavirus attended the venue on the afternoon of July 24.
The venue will undergo deep cleaning on Saturday morning and reopen by midday, with NSW Health advising all people at the venue on the afternoon of July 24 to monitor for symptoms.
In a Facebook post, the chain wrote: “NSW Health has advised that the venue is low risk and that individuals who were in the restaurant should … watch for COVID-19 symptoms … [and] If symptoms occur, self-isolate for 14 days and get tested for COVID-19 immediately.”
The Bavarian has provided authorities with a list of guests on that date.
The Harpoon & Hotel Harry in Surry Hills, Matinee Coffee in Marrickville and Tan Viet in Cabramatta are among the other venues required to undertake deep cleaning after recent patronage by COVID-positive people.
A Temora establishment, meanwhile, was fined $5000 and its licensee $1000 for non-compliance with public health orders after police attended on Thursday.
Police said the pub had no sign-in book and “no steps had been taken” to comply with the ministerial directions designed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant on Friday said authorities had this week found the COVID-19 link between the two Thai Rock restaurants at Wetherill Park and Potts Point – subsequently introduced to the nearby The Apollo restaurant.
The Thai Rock Wetherill Park coronavirus cluster is nearing 100 people, while the Potts Point cluster on Friday numbered 19.
“We know most transmission events occur in an indoor environment, we know household-type gatherings are more likely to transmit,” Dr Chant told 2GB radio.
“Think twice about having those gatherings up to 20 and minimise your contacts with others and minimise social events and movements just at this period while we’re putting out spot fires.”
Hygiene marshals will be required at NSW gyms from Saturday to ensure equipment is cleaned, hand sanitiser is available and social distancing is maintained, while gyms will need to register a COVID-safe plan.
Tweet from @NSWHealth
The increase in Sydney cases has prompted Queensland to ban all Greater Sydney residents from entering the state from Saturday.
-with AAP
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