The whole of Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong will go into lockdown for two weeks starting NOW as Gladys finally pulls the trigger after outbreak spread over the city

Greater Sydney will be thrown into lockdown for two weeks following 12 new Covid-19 infections which were recorded on Saturday as the growing cluster of cases wreaks havoc across the city.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian held a crisis cabinet meeting on Saturday, after earlier foreshadowing the seven-day lockdown - which began overnight - could be expanded to more local government areas in Sydney.

The four reasons residents can leave their houses include for school or work if unable to do so from home, medical reasons including to get the vaccine and to give care, for essential shopping and to exercise in groups of no more than ten.

'There is no curfew. You can leave your home at any stage to purchase any essential goods that you need to and that is a given. Be thoughtful and considerate about fellow citizens and no need to panic buy,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'I said that this the scariest time since the pandemic started and that's proven to be the case.'

Regional NSW will follow restrictions that were previously placed on Sydney which include having only five visitors at a house, wearing masks indoors, hospitality venues reduced to one person per square metre and outdoor venues reduced to 50 per cent capacity.

'So for those parts of New South Wales that aren't in lockdown, restrictions still apply because we want to make sure that if there have been any occasions where people unknowingly have taken the virus outside into the regions, that we don't have any spread in those regions,' Ms Berejiklian said.

NEW LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS FOR GREATER SYDNEY

All of Greater Sydney will be in lockdown from 6pm on Saturday to midnight on Friday July 9

This applies to Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong areas

Residents can leave their homes for work or school if unable to do so from home, for medical reasons or to provide care, to buy essentials goods and to exercise in groups of no more than ten

'I'm as disappointed as everybody else about what we've had to do but we've only done it because we absolutely had to,' she said.

'The best advice from health is that we should brace ourselves for additional cases. Because the contact tracers have done such a good job in identifying potential cases and their close contacts, just from those numbers alone and how transmissible the virus is, we know that the numbers will go up in the next few days.

'So I just want everybody to brace themselves. Not to be scared because we're taking the right advice, we're doing the right things. But the best advice we received today is that it will take two weeks.'

The list of exposure sites now includes venues in the northern beaches, Lakemba and Auburn, and another two train routes added overnight on Friday.

Some 29 cases were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday, 17 of which had already been announced, taking the cluster to 82 cases.

However the concern of health authorities is rapidly growing, as more than half were not in isolation during their infection period.

Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said if Greater Sydney residents had already left for a holiday but had been in the affected areas since June 21 they will need to isolate for 14 days from the day they left.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the level of concern from health authorities and government was 'extraordinary'.

'The Delta variant of this virus is certainly moving around our community far faster than anyone could have imagined,' he said.

Dr Chant said the virus was moving too fast for contact tracing to shut it down.

'Despite testing numbers being quite high and the contact tracers getting in contact with people rapidly, what we're seeing is by the time we've got there and uncovered the chains of transmission, we have a number of people infectious in the community,' Dr Chant said.

A new potential 'super spreader' venue has also been identified, with two cases linked to Great Ocean Foods at Marrickville.

The stay-at-home orders will apply to all of Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, and Wollongong areas from 6pm on Saturday and will be in place until midnight on Friday July 9 (pictured man in Avalon Beach, in Sydney's northern beaches before the lockdown was announced)

Avalon residents are seen getting coffee on Saturday morning hours before they will be confined to their homes for two weeks as part of the recent lockdown

Anyone who worked in, attended or was a customer at the seafood supplier's Marrickville store from June 21 to June 25 is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.

To 'get ahead of the rings' of transmission, NSW Health has also taken the unusual step of declaring their household members close contacts too.

'Previously one or two people in the household may have had it. Now we're seeing everybody get it,' the premier said.

Anyone who directly received a delivery from Great Ocean Foods over the same period - and their household contacts - must immediately get tested and isolate until contacted by NSW Health.

Millions of people in Sydney are already in lockdown, with people who live or work in Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and the City of Sydney council areas having earlier been urged not to leave homes except for essential purposes.

Despite the lockdown orders, parks and beaches across the city's eastern suburbs were packed with people using the exercise loophole on Saturday morning to enjoy the beautiful weekend weather.

EXPOSURE SITES ANNOUNCED SATURDAY

Great Ocean Foods, 5/11 Cadogan St, Marrickville - June 21 to June 25

Anyone who worked in, attended or was a customer at the Ocean Foods business during this time must get tested along with their household contacts and isolate for 14 days.

Those who received a delivery during this time must get tested along with their household contacts and isolate until further notice from NSW Health

Anyone who attended the following venues must get tested along with their household contacts and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result

Sydney Cheers Bar & Grill on George Street - June 20 from 1.45am - 3.30am

Anyone who attended the following venues must get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result

Rebel Sport at Bankstown Shopping Centre, North Terrace, - June 24 from 3.45pm - 4.30pm

Paloma Espresso Café on Shelley Street in Sydney - June 21 from 1.50-2.10pm

Casula Oporto in Casula Central Shopping centre - June 22 from 12.50 - 12.55pm

Pasta Italia Cucina at Casula Central Shopping Complex - June 22 from 12.50pm - 1.10pm

The Sydney CBD is almost completely deserted as residents are plunged into lockdown with health authorities warning it could be extended

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said a crisis cabinet meeting would be held on Saturday, and foreshadowed the seven-day lockdown - which began overnight - could be expanded to more local government areas in Sydney

Dr Kerry Chant said there had been a workplace outbreak with a delivery driver from the Great Ocean Foods business in Cadogan Street in Marrickville

Other venues of concern include Sydney's Cheers Bar & Grill on June 20 between 1.45am and 3.30am, and Rebel at Bankstown shopping centre on June 24 between 3.45pm and 4.30pm.

Anyone who attended the venues at those times is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days.

Dr Chant appealed for Sydneysiders to use common sense and check the list of exposure sites every time they leave the house.

'Yes there are the orders but … can I just urge everyone to err on the side of caution,' she said.

'If you're in doubt about whether you are in a public health order or you have restricted movements … just assume you are impacted.'

Mr Hazzard also pleaded for patience and co-operation as authorities determine how best to reign in the outbreak.

'The Delta variant is proving to be a very formidable foe,' he said.

'No matter what defensive steps we're taking at the moment, the virus seems to understand how to counter attack.'

Ms Berejiklian warned the current lockdown restrictions imposed in several Sydney areas may be extended and she would be holding a crisis cabinet meeting later on Saturday

The premier said residents should start preparing for the lockdown to extend (pictured Sydney residents exercising on Saturday)

An alert has also been put out for the Cheers Bar & Grill on 561 George Street on Sunday June 20 from 1.45am to 3.30am - with anybody attending the venue at that time to get tested and isolate along with their household contacts

A Rebel Sports store at the Bankstown Central Shopping Centre has also been put on alert after potentially being exposed to the virus

Meanwhile NSW Health has turned its attention to one of the city's tallest apartment buildings, the 40-storey Elan complex in the heart of Kings Cross, with all 500 residents being tested and forced to isolate after a confirmed case.

The entrance to the building, which has nearly 300 units, has been blocked with NSW Health locking down the entire area.

Mr Hazzard urged residents to stay at home and get tested if feeling unwell.

'My message to the community is: You well understand the basic rules - stay home if you're sick, get tested and go home, wait for your results and follow health instructions,' he said.

'I would also say to the broader Sydneysiders at the moment, if you don't need to be out, this virus is certainly lurking in places we hadn't expected and it's waiting. It's waiting to actually be able to extend it across Sydney.'

Meanwhile, a positive case has been identified in the Northern Territory in a worker at the Newmont-owned Granites gold mine, which is around 540km north-west of Alice Springs.

The mine has since been placed into lockdown after the man's test results returned a positive result on Friday night.

It's believed the FIFO worker contracted the highly-contagious Indian Delta variant of the virus while in hotel quarantine in Brisbane and may have been infectious from June 18 to June 24.

There's currently around 750 at the mine with 70 being labelled as close contacts to undergo quarantine.

About 900 FIFO workers who were at the site across those days have since left and travelled to a number of airports including Brisbane, Perth, Alice Springs and Darwin.

Health authorities are desperately trying to track down those workers who have left the mine and have sent them text messages ordering them to get tested and isolate.

NT Chief Health Minister Michael Gunner said the man who tested positive came from Bendigo in regional Victoria before being told to quarantine in Queensland.

EXPOSURE SITES ANNOUNCED FRIDAY

Anyone who attended the following venue at the time listed is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result

Barangaroo: Lotus Barangaroo (inside and outside) - Sunday June 20, 12.30pm - 3pm

Bondi Beach: Lyfe Cafe - Friday June 18, all day, Saturday June 19, all day, Tuesday June 22, all day, Wednesday June 23, all day

Bondi: Lean Bean Fitness (Baby Mumma Beans class) - Friday June 18, 10.30am - 11.15am and Monday June 21, 10.30am - 11.15am

Bondi Junction: Fresh Nails - Tuesday June 15, 2:30pm to 5:00pm and Thursday June 17, all day

Manly: Hugo's Manly - Saturday June 19, 5:30pm to 8:15pm

Manly: The Boathouse - Sunday June 20, 8:35am to 11:40am

Maroubra: Chemist Warehouse - Thursday June 24, 9:00am to 9:30am

Waterloo: Moore Park View Hotel - Tuesday June 22, 3.30 - 6.30pm

Kensington: Doncaster Hotel - Wednesday June 23 - 5.45pm - 8pm

Lakemba - Haldon Street Medical Centre - Thursday June 24, 10:15am to 10:30am

Bankstown - PappaRich Restaurant - Thursday June 24 - 1:30pm to 4pm

Auburn - Reading Cinema – screening of 'Fast And Furious 9' - 6:30pm

Anyone who attended the following venue at the time listed is a casual contact and must get tested until a negative result is received

Bondi Beach - Chemist Warehouse - Monday 21 June, 9am – 10am

Casula - Oporto's - Tuesday 22 June, 12.50pm – 1pm

Casula - Pasta Italia Cucina - Tuesday 22 June, 1pm – 1.10pm

Ryde - Woolworths Top Ryde City - Tuesday 22 June, 5pm - 5.15pm

Ryde - Coles Top Ryde City - Tuesday 22 June, 5pm - 5.15pm

Barangaroo: Female Toilets beside Lotus Restaurant Building 8 - Sunday June 20, 1pm - 3pm

Barangaroo: Rivareno Gelato - Sunday 20 June, 3:05pm to 3:45pm

Double Bay: Indigo Café - Monday 21 June, 8.45m to 8.50am

Double Bay: The Cosmopolitan - Thursday June 17, 5pm - 7pm

Double Bay: Chemist Warehouse - Monday 21 June, 9.30am to 9.42am

Cecil Hills: Woolworths - Monday 21 June, 12:00pm to 12:30pm

Cecil Hill: BWS - Monday 21 June, 12:30pm to 12:35pm

Chipping Norton: Urban Grind Cafe Shop - Monday 21 June, 12:40pm to 1:20pm

Randwick: Woolworths - Monday 21 June, 2pm to 2.30pm and Thursday June 24, 10:30am to 10:45am

Zetland: Coles – East Village - Monday 21 June, 6.10pm to 6.35pm and Wednesday June 23, 5:15pm to 5:30pm

Zetland - Oliver Brown - Wednesday 23 June, 5.15pm – 5.30pm

Burwood: David Jones - Monday 21 June, 10am to 6.30pm

Anyone who has been in the following venues at the times listed must monitor for symptoms and if they develop, seek testing and isolate

Rouse Hill: Rouse Hill Town Centre - Monday June 21, 11am - 11.30an

Randwick: Royal Randwick Shopping Centre - Monday June 21, 2pm - 3pm

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick. Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o

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