Sydneysiders struggling during Covid-19 lockdown are set to be given cash bonuses in new rescue package

A multi-billion dollar Covid rescue package for crisis-hit businesses struggling to survive in lockdown is set to be unveiled by the New South Wales state government on Tuesday.

Individuals could be in line for a $600 payment - up from the current $500 disaster payment - to replace lost wages, while small to medium-sized businesses will be offered help to replace lost cash flow.

Payments to business are likely to be linked to payroll and will demand businesses keep all existing staff on the books, according to a report in The Australian.

It comes against a backdrop of escalating Covid case numbers which look set to keep Sydney in lockdown for possibly another few weeks.

Monday's daily tally of 112 cases was the highest the city had seen since April 2020 and there's no sign of the numbers dropping in the days ahead.

New South Wales state government is set to unveil a multi-billion dollar rescue package on Tuesday for crisis-hit businesses struggling to survive in lockdown (pictured, a worker wearing a facemask in Sydney's CBD)

Contact tracers have been finding multiple instances of people testing positive who have continued to work and move within the community while infectious.

In the last two days alone, more than 75 people were found to have working while infected, including one visa lawyer in Sydney's south-west who worked for six days while contagious.

A Monday night meeting with state and federal government is understood to have put together a cash package to try to ease the pain for the state's troubled businesses.

But it's believed NSW treasurer Dominic Perrottet has insisted on a clause which ties any cash payments with a commitment from the business not to lay anyone off.

The funding will come jointly from both NSW and federal budgets after the state explored the possibility of introducing their own version of JobKeeper.

'We are expecting some final proposals to come up later this evening,' Prime Minster Scott Morrison told Sky News before the talks began.

'I think we are getting pretty close.'

Individuals could be in line for a $600 payment - up from the current $500 - to replace lost wages, while small to medium-sized businesses will be offered help to replace lost cash flow (pictured, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian at the daily media briefing on Monday)

Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers said every day the government delays any such program means more workers and more small businesses are at risk.

'We call on Scott Morrison to reinstate JobKeeper or something better as soon as possible,' Dr Chalmers said.

Sydney's hospitality industry has been ravaged by the lockdown with bars and restaurants unable to open, and cafes only open for take-away but with significantly reduced customer numbers.

Café owner Ron Danieli has already had to close two of his three cafes and fears he may not survive if the lockdown is extended

Even before the latest lockdown, already in its third week and looking likely to be extended again, businesses were demanding government help.

Café owner Ron Danieli, 49, told Daily Mail Australia: 'I don't think we will ever recover from this. It's killing small business and the middle class.

'There is no one here - there are no tourists and no one coming into the city to work. It's like Chernobyl out there.'

Payments to business are likely to be linked to payroll and will demand business keep all existing staff on the books (pictured, city centre cafe converted to take away only for the duration of the Sydney lockdown)

The move to help business comes as NSW Health released a huge new list of Sydney venues exposed to Covid as the disease continues to spread across the city, including two Kmarts, Coles, Woolworths and 29 public transport routes.

The venues, train and bus lines stretch from the Covid-ravaged southwest to the eastern suburbs, inner west and inner city.

HUGE COVID EXPOSURE SITE LIST FOR SYDNEY REVEALED MONDAY NIGHT

Anyone who visited the following venues is considered a close contact and should get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of result:

Lakemba: Mataam Al Mandi - Saturday July 10, 3.15pm – 3.30pm

Roselands: Roselands Fruit World - Wednesday July 7, 4pm - 4.15pm

Fairfield: Ware Street Medical Practice - Thursday July 8, 2.40pm - 3.40pm

Fairfield: Westpac Fairfield, Neeta City Shopping Centre - Thursday July 8, 1.20pm - 1.40pm

Bondi Junction: 99 Bikes Bondi Junction - Saturday July 10, 12.45pm - 2.45pm

Green Valley: Priceline, The Valley Plaza 2 - Friday July 9, 2.30pm – 3.15pm

Yagoona: Cedar Valley Meats - Saturday July 10, 1.30pm – 2pm

Greenacre: Mr Shawarma - Saturday July 10, 8.30pm – 8.45pm

Anyone who travelled on the following bus routes at the times listed is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result

Redfern to Beaconsfield: 309 bus - Monday July 5, departed 5.49pm – arrived 5.56pm

Redfern to Beaconsfield: 309 bus - Tuesday July 6, departed 5.52pm – arrived 5.57pm

Fairfield Heights to Fairfield: 817 bus - Tuesday July 6, departed 2.19pm – arrived 2.22pm

Fairfield to Fairfield Heights: 800 bus - Tuesday July 6, departed 3.02pm – arrived 3.07pm

Haymarket to Forest Lodge: 438X bus - Tuesday July 6, departed 9.44am – arrived 9.50am

Ultimo to Haymarket: 438X bus - Thursday July 8, departed 7.09pm – arrived 7.15pm

Jannali to Kareela: 968 bus - Tuesday July 6, departed 2.32pm – arrived 2.39pm

Miranda to Kareela: 968 bus - Wednesday July 7, departed 12.35pm – arrived 12.54pm

Sydney to Neutral Bay: 173X bus - Thursday July 8, departed 6.24am – arrived 6.35am

Neutral Bay to Sydney: 170X bus - Thursday July 8, departed 8.23am – arrived 8.32am

Sydney to Zetland: 304 bus - Friday July 9, departed 2.46pm – arrived 3.09pm

Zetland to Sydney: 320 bus - Saturday July 10, departed 7.40am – arrived 7.57am

NSW Health also wishes to advise of additional times to previously announced venues. Anyone who attended these venues at the times listed is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result

Fairfield: iMedic iCare Medical Centre - Friday July 9, 8.30am - 6.30pm and Saturday July 10, 8.30am - 6.30pm

Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received

Glebe: Schnitz Broadway - Thursday July 8, 6.30pm – 6.45pm

Centennial Park: Centennial Homestead Café - Wednesday July 7, 12pm – 12.30pm

Camperdown: 7-Eleven service station - Tuesday July 6, 10am – 10.20am

Bankstown: Pharmacy 4 Less, Bankstown Central - Friday July 9, 9am - 9.15am

Bankstown: Kmart, Bankstown Central - Friday July 9, 11am – 11.30am

Bankstown: Big W, Bankstown Central - Friday July 9, 11am – 11.30am

Hurstville: No.1 Malatang Restaurant - Tuesday July 6. 5.10pm – 6pm

Bondi Junction: Australia Post, Westfield Bondi Junction - Tuesday July 6, 12.50pm – 1.10pm

Fairfield West: Coles Fairfield West - Saturday July 10, 12.30pm – 1.30pm

Casula: Kmart, Casula Mall - Thursday July 8, 6pm – 6.45pm

Wetherill Park: Woolworths Wetherill Park - Friday July 9, 3pm – 3.15pm, Saturday July 10, 12pm – 12.35pm

Oran Park: Woolworths Oran Park - Friday July 9, 6am – 2pm, Saturday July 10, 6am – 4pm, Sunday July 11, 6am – 11.20am

Anyone who travelled on the following train routes at the times listed is a casual contact and must immediately get tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received

T2 Line: From Lidcombe Station to Auburn Station - Sunday July 4, departed 4.10pm, arrived 4.20pm

T2 Line: From Lidcombe Station to Redfern Station - Sunday July 4, departed 5.55pm, arrived 6.20pm

T9 Line: From Burwood Station to Wynyard Station - Monday July 5, departed 5.40am, arrived 6.02am

T8 Line: From Wynyard Station to Green Square Station - Monday July 5, departed 10.15am, arrived 10.33am

T8 Line: From Green Square Station to Wynyard Station - Monday July 5, departed 6.11pm, arrived 6.15pm

T9 Line: From Central Station to Burwood Station - Monday July 5, departed 6.23pm, arrived 6.34pm

T8 Line: From Green Square Station to Lidcombe Station - Monday July 5, departed 2.29pm, arrived 3pm

T2 Line: From Lidcombe Station to Redfern Station - Monday July 5, departed 5.24pm, arrived 5.47pm

T8 Line: From Kingsgrove Station to Circular Quay Station - Monday July 5, departed 5.43am, arrived 6.04am

T8 Line: From Circular Quay Station to Kingsgrove Station - Monday July 5, departed 3.07pm, arrived 3.36pm

T2 Line: From Lidcombe Station to Redfern Station - Tuesday July 6, departed 5.26pm, arrived 5.47pm

T4 Line: From Bondi Junction Station to Central Station - Tuesday July 6, departed 9.08am, arrived 9.28am

T4 Line: From Hurstville Station to Jannali Station - Tuesday July 6, departed 2.06pm, arrived 2.18pm

T4 Line: From Penshurst Station to Hurstville Station - Tuesday July 6, departed 10.21pm, arrived 10.34pm

T4 Line: From Hurstville Station to Miranda Station - Tuesday July 6, departed 11.49am, arrived 12.17pm

T3 Line: From Central Station to Sydenham Station - Saturday July 10, departed 2.28pm, arrived 2.42pm

T3 Line: From Sydenham Station to Central Station - Saturday July 10, departed 3.59pm, arrived 4.16pm

NSW Health also wishes to advise of additional times to previously announced venues. Anyone who attended these venues at the times listed is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received

Fairfield Heights: Woolworths Fairfield Heights - Wednesday July 7, 6.45pm – 7.15pm

Roselands: Coles Roselands - Wednesday June 30, 4.45pm – 5.45pm, Wednesday July 7, 3.15pm – 4.05pm