There have now been more than 50 people infected in the Sydney CBD COVID-19 cluster, which has continued to grow in the past day.
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NSW Health reported 12 new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday, with three of those detected in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
Three were locally acquired with no source identified, with two of those detected in a South Western Sydney family and one in Parkes, in western NSW.
One was linked to a previously reported case in South Eastern Sydney whose source is under investigation and five were linked to a known case or cluster.
NSW Health said one of the new cases was a contact of a previously reported case in a student at St Pauls Catholic College Greystanes and a new case in Girraween Public School, bringing the total linked to the schools to 12.
Close contacts are isolating, and the schools have been cleaned and will re-open today, however the source of the original infection has not been identified at this point.
Additionally, one case reported yesterday attended a church service at Life in the Spirit Ministry in Prestons on August 30 and anyone who attended this service is considered a close contact and must be tested for COVID-19 and self-isolate for 14 days even if this test is negative.
The health department added the following six venues to its watchlist.
- Westfield Chatswood on Thursday, 27 August from 1pm-1.50pm
- Gram Café and Pancakes, Chatswood Station on Thursday, 27 August from 11.10am-12.15pm
- Balmain Community Pharmacy, 273 Darling Street, Balmain, on Monday, 31 August from 11am-11.20am
- God's Power Ministries Heckenberg, 18/7-9 Progress Circuit, Prestons, on Sunday, 30 August from 2.50pm-3.30pm
- Quality Suites Camperdown in the foyer, 108 Parramatta Rd Camperdown on Saturday, 29 August 3.15-4.30pm
- Leaf Café & Co, Lidcombe Shopping Centre on Monday, 31 August from 11.30am-1.30pm
Anyone who attended these is considered a casual contact and must monitor for symptoms and get tested if they develop.
Speaking about the latest numbers, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said there was "a sense of optimism about the future. and i want everyone to feel that sense of hope".
"It doesn't mean we let our guard down... but what it does mean is we have learned in NSW to manage the pandemic," she said.
"We're going to have good days and bad days during the pandemic and the numbers will keep yo-yo-ing."
There were 29,607 tests reported in the 24-hour reporting period, compared with 20,083 in the previous 24 hours.
