Residents of NSW returning from Victoria must go into mandatory hotel quarantine for 14 days at their own expense, and Melbourne workers must have permits to enter the CBD, as the battle to contain the outbreaks continues.
From 12.01am Friday (7 August) people coming into NSW from Victoria must enter hotel quarantine for two weeks.
The Melbourne CBD has entered Stage 4 restrictions, requiring every staff member at operating businesses to have an individual worker permit.
Employers must download the template (HERE), and an authorised person complete and sign it. This person may be contacted by authorities to verify details. The permit should be supplied to the worker, but some may need to travel to work to get their permit.
Once issued, staff must carry the worker permit or an electronic copy (photo or scan), as well as photo identification, when travelling to and from work.
Wednesday saw Victoria record 725 new COVID-19 cases, and another 15 deaths.
NSW appears to be keeping outbreaks contained, reporting only 11 new cases yesterday, but Health authorities were forced to issue urgent warnings on ten businesses across central, west and southwest Sydney after two men in their 20s were diagnosed.
One man is a resident of Sydney and his connection to any existing cluster is not known. He visited seven inner city venues, including Glebe’s Jambo Jambo African restaurant on 31 July. Anyone at the restaurant from 7pm to 8.30pm must immediately self-isolate for 14 days and get tested. He also visited: Eveleigh Hotel Redfern (31 July), Warren View Hotel Enmore (1 August), Mary’s in Macquarie Place, Sydney (1 August), Cubby’s Kitchen in Sydney (1 August), Burrow Bar in Sydney (1 August), and Woolworths Marrickville Metro (2 August).
The other man is from Sydney’s south-west, and linked to the Mounties cluster. He visited three restaurants.
NSW Health has further updated the times and dates of exposure for patrons of Mounties: Monday 20 July 12:01am to 2:30am; Tuesday 21 July 12:15pm to 5:30pm, 8.00pm to midnight; Wednesday 22 July midnight to 12:30am, 7.00pm to midnight; Thursday 23 July midnight to 3.00am, 7.00pm to midnight; Friday 24 July midnight to 3.00am, 11.00am to 3:30pm, 7.00pm to midnight; Saturday 25 July midnight to 3.00am; Sunday 26 July (new date) 4pm to 7.00pm.
Hunter New England Health authorities have also ordered patrons of three Newcastle pubs to immediately self-isolate due to an infected man having visited four pubs, a sushi bar and a stadium over the weekend.
On alert are: Bennett Hotel Newcastle – Friday 31 July 5.30-10pm, Sydney Junction Hotel Hamilton – Saturday 1 August 11pm-1.15am, and Bar 88 Wests New Lambton – Sunday 2 August 5-7.15pm.
Anyone who visited these venues at these times must immediately self-isolate and get tested.
A Dubbo pub has been fined $5,000 after dozens of people were found in the gaming room not social distancing.
Police were called to a fight at the pub on Talbragar Street around 1pm on Sunday, where they found more than 30 people standing in the gaming lounge.
Authorities stress it is pubs’ responsibility to enforce the Health Order rules, which includes social distancing and ensuring patrons remain seated, but Superintendent Peter McKenna urged the public to help hospitality businesses by complying with the rules.
“The public have to understand they’re putting those premises at risk and they may also be held liable.”
