New South Wales has recorded its highest daily COVID-19 number yet with 44 new cases, prompting Premier Gladys Berejiklian to tighten current lockdown restrictions.
Even more concerningly for health authorities, the majority of those cases have not been in isolation while infectious.
Just 10 were in isolation throughout their infectious period, eight for part of the time and 19 have been out in the community. The isolation status of the remaining seven is still under investigation.
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It marks another jump from yesterday's record figure of 38 new coronavirus cases. At the time, it was the highest daily number in over a year.
The figures have prompted a dire warning from Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who has told Sydneysiders to brace for even higher daily case numbers in the days ahead.
"The number of people that have been infectious in the community - last night it was 29 and I suspect it will grow tomorrow and the day after," Ms Berejiklian said.
"It is so transmissible (so) obviously we're going to see higher cases moving forward."
New restrictions in place for Greater Sydney
Today's figures have prompted a tightening of stay-at-home orders, with tougher rules now in place around outdoor exercise, essential shopping and funerals.
- Outdoor gatherings limited to two people (excluding members of same household);
- Exercise and outdoor recreation restricted to local government area or within 10km radius;
- No browsing in shops; only one person per household per day can leave the house for shopping;
- Funerals limited to 10 people (from Sunday).
Restrictions in regional New South Wales remain unchanged.
"Browsing is not allowed," Ms Berejiklian stressed.
"Whether you are in a supermarket or anywhere else buying essential items, you have to think about before you leave the home, can I get this online? Do I need to leave the house to go shopping?
"If I am leaving the house, you have to plan your visit."
In what the premier has described as a "heartbreaking" decision, from Sunday funerals will be limited to 10 mourners.
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Ms Berejiklian again stressed that no one should be visiting others' households, except for essential care.
"The only exception is if you are receiving care by one person, dropping off essential goods or for health reasons or exceptional circumstances," she said.
Sydney suburbs of most concern
NSW's Chief Health Officer has today issued a list of the Sydney suburbs of most concern to health authorities, where COVID-19 is circulating amongst the community.
In the city's south-east, residents in Sutherland, Carrillo, Sylvania, Hurstville and Maroubra need to stay particularly vigilant and continue to come forward for testing.
The city is also seeing a number of cases emerge in: Bossley Park, Smithfield, Fairfield, Glenfield, West Hoxton, Bass Hill, Greenacre, St John's Park, Bonnyrigg Heights, Panini, Bankstown, Canley Vale, Aramark, Casula, Chester Hill, Denzer Park, Edmondson Park, Greenfield Park, Moorebank, Narellan Vale and St John's Park.
It comes after the Local Government Areas of Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool were marked as areas of growing concern earlier in the week, as the outbreak spreads from its origins in Bondi.
Lockdown lift in the balance
Today's figures have left some doubting whether Sydney and its surrounds will be able to emerge from lockdown even at the end of the one-week extension.
Ms Berejiklian insisted yesterday that the state can still meet that target - so long as if "every single person does the right thing".
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"Experts have told us it is achievable. If it was not achievable, we would not have provided those details to the community," Ms Berejiklian said.
Almost 200 extra police officers have been deployed across the three south-western Local Government Areas of most concern to ensure compliance with the stay-at-home orders.
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the measures are not racist or discriminatory and were necessary to ensure the latest outbreak doesn't spread any further.
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