NSW health authorities have put the residents of 10 southwest Sydney suburbs on notice, as well as directing a restaurant to close, as they continue to uncover COVID-19 cases in the area.
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The state recorded one new locally-acquired case of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday from 8550 tests, along with two cases in hotel quarantine.
NSW Health's Jeremy McAnulty on Tuesday said the local case was uncovered in a worker at Jasmin1 Lebanese restaurant in Liverpool.
NSW Health later directed the restaurant to close until further after it failed to provide records relating to staffing and patronage in a timely manner.
Investigations revealed Jasmins1 Liverpool did not have a COVID Safety Plan and did not keep contact details of patrons as required under the public health order, NSW Health said.
"The restaurant will remain closed until NSW Health considers the restaurant is no longer a risk to public health," it said in a statement on Tuesday.
NSW Health informed the restaurant on 28 October that cases of COVID-19 had attended the restaurant three days earlier.
The person worked three shifts while potentially infectious, and those who attended the restaurant for more than one hour on the evening of October 26 and 31 and morning of November 1 should get tested and isolate for 14 days.
Those who attended for less than an hour were casual contacts and should get tested and remain in isolation until a negative result was received.
Dr McAnulty said the case was linked to the seven-strong Hoxton Park cluster, and that residents of 10 suburbs in southwest Sydney needed to get tested even with the mildest of respiratory symptoms.
Those suburbs were: West Hoxton, Hoxton Park, Middleton Grange, Horningsea Park, Carnes Hill, Edmondson Park, Denham Court, Prestons, Busby and Miller.
Jasmins1 denied the allegation it failed to record patron contact details, posting pictures on their Facebook page on Tuesday that showed sign-in books and a QR code.
"please reply to these News Reporter's on Chanel 7 they need a sock in there Mouth (sic)," the restaurant wrote.
NSW Health has also issued a public health alert for Bambino's Kindergarten in Horningsea Park on October 29 and 30, and for Flip Out Prestons Indoor Trampoline Park between 11am and 2pm on October 25.
Meanwhile, Queensland travel restrictions have eased, with the Sunshine State's border open from Tuesday to everyone in NSW except Greater Sydney residents.
Victorians also remain locked out of Queensland.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is fuming that Sydney residents are banned, arguing the bar Queensland has set for resuming free travel is too high.
Ms Berejiklian also indicated a reopening of the NSW-Victoria border could happen soon, with COVID-19 brought under control in the southern state.
She said an announcement could be made as soon as this week.
"We're talking weeks not months in terms of when the Victorian border may come down," Ms Berejiklian told reporters on Monday.
Australian Associated Press
