Gladys Berejiklian reveals key new case in Sydney COVID outbreak
A traveller has tested positive for COVID-19 – and on the same floor as a security guard who contracted the virus a week before.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed the news to reporters Wednesday morning, saying this new case could be the “missing link” health authorities need.
“Health believes they (new case) acquired (COVID) when they went into the hotel and we’re being very upfront about that,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“They are an overseas traveller but they didn’t have the virus when they came into the hotel … health believes that because of the timing they contracted the virus.”
The Premier confessed that investigators and health officials may “never find the link…. similar to the Avalon cluster; we still don’t know.
“As always during a pandemic we ask all of our citizens to be on high alert and follow health advice,” she said.
“Fortunately the person is already in quarantine … health will be making further investigations, it could be very much the missing link between the overseas traveller and the guard.”
The security guard is believed to have contracted the virus while working on the 11th floor at the Sofitel in Wentworth.
Officials are still yet to determine how, however an extensive look at CCTV footage shows he did not breach any protocols.
A previous returned traveller at the hotel has also tested positive, but the link between them and the guard continues to be a mystery to investigators and health officials.
“It’s not surprising the case is on the same floor as the security guard and the traveller that had the original case,” the premier said.
“There is no cause for us to be alarmed in the community.”
Ms Berejiklian said the case would not impact an expected easing of restrictions later on Wednesday.
“At this stage there’s no cause for us to change any of that,” she said.
“But of course, as I say every day the pandemic is evolving, and if we have to adjust any of our settings we will.”
The guard was the state’s first coronavirus case in 55 days and had received one dose of the Pfizer vaccine earlier in March.
NSW Health revealed that the 47-year-old man caught the virus while he worked across two Sydney quarantine hotels, Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney’s CBD and the Mantra hotel at Haymarket.
Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant told reporters that the man had a full-time office job and worked in the hotels over weekends.
“(He was) was infectious while doing a shift and we have contacted around 130 people who worked from 7 pm on Friday night to 7 am on Saturday, overlapping that March 12 to March 13 (window),” she said at the time.
“We are asking those individuals to immediately self-isolate and get a test. Basically, that allows us time to work through and ascertain the nature of interaction that this security guard had with those quarantine workers.”