Fears woman who attended FIVE funerals could spark a huge coronavirus cluster in Sydney as four of her close contacts are diagnosed with COVID-19
- Four cases of coronavirus found on Friday linked to a Fairfield, Sydney woman
- Cases are one couple in their 60s and one couple in their 50s and 60s from NSW
- The woman, in her 40s, had attended five funerals in the space of four days
A woman who attended five funerals over four days could be the centre of a growing coronavirus cluster after four of her contacts tested positive.
The woman, in her 40s, attended the Catholic services in Sydney’s southwest last week and was diagnosed with coronavirus on Thursday – prompting health officials to issue a warning on Friday night.
The four cases identified on Friday and linked to the Fairfield woman include a couple in their 60s from the NSW north coast and another couple in their 50s and 60s.
The woman attended Our Lady of Mt Carmel Catholic Church at Mt Pritchard (pictured) for one hour on July 19 from 7:30am
More than 30,000 tests were done in NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm Friday (pictured: Milly Brown, Assistant in Nursing conducts a COVID-19 swab test as large crowds queue at a Bondi Beach drive-through testing clinic on July 22, 2020 in Sydney)
Those who attended any of the same services as the woman have been told by NSW Health they need to self-isolate, even if they show no symptoms, and be tested for COVID-19.
Even if they return a negative result, attendees should continue to self-quarantine for the 14-days and be alert if symptoms develop later, officials said.
The four positive results are among 15 new cases of coronavirus discovered from 30,535 tests done in NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday night.
Eight of the new cases have been connected to the Thai Rock restaurant in Sydney’s west and six are returned travellers who are in hotel quarantine, NSW Health said.
Another case in under investigation.
The 15 cases also have connections to three Catholic Schools in Sydney’s west, prompting them to be closed for deep cleaning on Friday.
The schools are Freeman Catholic College at Bonnyrigg Heights, Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary School in Bossley Park, and Cerdon College in Merrylands.
The total number of confirmed cases in NSW now sits at 3465, with 51 of them deadly, and 60 cases linked to the Thai restaurant cluster in Wetherill Park.
The woman also attended St Brendan’s Catholic Church at Bankstown (pictured) for one hour on July 16 from 6:30pm
Milly Brown, Assistant in Nursing and Registered Nurse Kahala Dixon speak between conducting COVID-19 swab tests at a Bondi Beach drive-through testing clinic on July 22, 2020 in Sydney
The growing number of cases in Sydney sparked a number of new restrictions.
New COVID-19 measures have come into effect for hospitality venues in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.
The changes include mandatory sign-ins, prepared COVID-safe plans, a cap of 300 people and maximum group bookings of ten.
Caps on private indoor and outdoor gatherings remain at 20, but weddings and corporate events are now capped at 150, and funerals and religious gatherings at 100.
The woman was also at Ausia Funeral Services at Fairfield East (pictured) on July 17 between 1:00pm and 8:00pm