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Sydneysiders mask up as virus link sought

Hannah RyanAAP
VideoCOVID-19 Update: May 7

Sydneysiders are again wearing masks on public transport, in supermarkets and Uber rides as health officials race to figure out how COVID-19 escaped hotel quarantine.

Restrictions for Greater Sydney were reimposed on Wednesday, including mandatory masks in indoor settings, a 20-person cap on indoor gatherings, and a ban on singing.

A health alert was issued on Thursday evening for Haymarket restaurant XOPP. Diners present between 1.30 and 2.30pm last Wednesday must be tested and self-isolate until they’re negative.

A number of venues have been listed as places where fellow attendees are close contacts who must isolate for 14 days, including the exclusive Royal Sydney Golf Club, a CBD optometrist, and other venues in Paddington, Rushcutters Bay, Moore Park and Collaroy.

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Other places - including a number of barbecue shops throughout Sydney - are lower-risk, with fellow visitors asked to isolate until they receive a negative result.

There are also alerts for venues Bondi Trattori in the east and Fratelli Fresh in Westfield Sydney.

New Zealand called a time-out on the travel bubble with NSW on Thursday, suspending quarantine-free travel from the state for 48 hours starting first thing Friday.

COVID PRESSER
Camera IconPremier Gladys Berejiklian announced the reintroduction of restrictions. NCA NewsWire/Christian Gilles Credit: News Corp Australia

The relative idyll in NSW was broken after a Sydney man in his 50s tested positive to the virus on Wednesday.

“We know for a fact there’s at least one person, if not more, walking around with the virus, not knowing they have it or potentially having attended many events and venues ... this is a proportionate response,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

But she urged businesses to stay open and Sydneysiders to show up for their Mother’s Day reservations on Sunday.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed on Thursday that his wife had also returned a positive result, but other close contacts had so far tested negative.

The man’s COVID-19 infection is the same strain as a man who was diagnosed in hotel quarantine, but there is no direct link between the two.

Health officials are now racing to find the link between the cases.

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