Urgent alert for an entire Sydney apartment block as hundreds are forced into isolation - as entire list of NSW Covid exposure sites CRASHES
An apartment block in western Sydney has been added to the city's relentlessly growing coronavirus exposure list as well as several venues in Newcastle.
Just as the fresh list of 47 close and casual contact sites were published on Monday night, the NSW Health website briefly crashed leaving thousands scrambling.
The close contact sites were released on social media, including the Astina Apartments in Penrith which were exposed to the virus over three days.
The dozens of new casual sites including pharmacies, grocers and takeaways come as the city recorded 283 new cases of Covid-19 and officials locked down two more regional areas.
The Astina Apartments in Penrith have been exposed to the virus over three days
Any person who visited the apartment block at any time on August 3, August 4 or August 5 is urged to get tested and isolate for two weeks.
The Air Locker Training gym in Newcastle West is also on alert after an infected person went there for two workouts, as well as a Subway in nearby Warners Bay.
The Wests in New Lambton is also on alert, with the Leagues clubs' gaming, main bar and smoking area all affected.
Dozens of casual contact sites including a basketball stadium in Broadmeadow and a health clinic in Bondi Junction have also been added to the ever-growing list.
Just as a fresh list of 47 close and casual contact sites were published on Monday night, the NSW Health website briefly crashed leaving residents scrambling
The Wests in New Lambton is also on alert, with the Leagues clubs' gaming, main bar and smoking area all affected
Six Coles have been listed as new exposure sites, including a branch in Green Valley which was exposed to Covid-19 over ten days.
Three Woolworths have also been put on high alert with a popular branch in Gosford, an hour's drive from Sydney's CBD, also featuring.
Charlestown in Lake Macquarie was hard-hit by new exposure sites with a Big W, Boost Juice and a McDonalds in the suburb included in the late night drop.
During Monday's Covid update Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that Tamworth, in north-east NSW, would be plunged into a week-long lockdown from 5pm on Monday.
FIND THE LATEST EXPOSURE SITES NEAR YOU
It comes after a woman, who was exposed to the virus in Newcastle, visited several venues including a pub, cafe and vape store on August 5.
The Inland Café, Tudor Hotel and Super Vape Store are among the venues that have been flagged as exposure sites. Ms Berejiklian said there had been no incidents of transmission.
It was later announced residents in the Northern Rivers region will join Tamworth in a seven-day lockdown over fears a Covid-positive 50-year-old Sydney man has spread the virus throughout the area.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday morning said Covid restrictions applying to the Northern Rivers region would not change while the man's journey was being investigated.
The infected woman visited the Inland Cafe, the Tudor Hotel, a Gloria Jeans, the Super Vape Store and the Ampol Roadhouse during her time in Tamworth
The Inland Café , Tudor Hotel and Super Vape Store are among the venues that have been flagged as exposure sites in Tamworth visited by a Covid-positive woman
But by the afternoon that advice had changed and now Byron, Ballina, Lismore and the Richmond Valley will all be locked down until August 17.
The stay-at-home orders effecting regional town centres like Byron Bay, Ballina, Brunswick Heads, Grafton, Yamba, Casino, Lismore and Murwillumbah, will start from 6pm on Monday and will remain in place for the next seven days.
This will leave the region's 300,000 residents under the same tough restrictions as Greater Sydney, Hunter Valley, New England and Tamworth.
At NSW's Covid update on Monday morning, chief health officer Kerry Chant said investigations were ongoing into where the man had been after he travelled from Sydney to Byron Bay in late July.
The Covid-infected man travelled from Sydney at the end of July and spent five days infectious in the Byron Bay community before being admitted to the Lismore Base Hospital
NSW recorded 283 new locally-acquired cases of coronavirus and one death, an unvaccinated woman in her 90s. Pictured: Queues at a mass vaccination hub in Sydney Olympic Park
'He is currently being re-interviewed and we are also arranging urgent testing of his two household contacts,' she said.
The man's movements remain a mystery after it was discovered he was not recorded on any QR code check-ins while he was infectious.
Dr Chant urged residents in the Byron Shire, Richmond Valley, Tweed, Lismore, Kyogle and Ballina LGAs to come forward for testing if they experienced symptoms because the man was symptomatic in the community for a number of days.
The Covid-infected man travelled from Sydney at the end of July and spent five days in the community before being admitted to the Lismore Base Hospital.
In NSW there are currently 349 patients in hospital with 67 being treated in the intensive care unit and 29 on ventilation. None of the patients in ICU are fully vaccinated.
An unvaccinated woman in her 90s also died from the virus at Greenwich Hospital on Sunday.
'All deaths are horrible during this time and, again, we extend our deepest sympathy to her loved ones at this difficult time,' the premier said.
Chief health officer Kerry Chant said investigations were ongoing into where the man had been after he travelled from Sydney to Byron Bay in late July
NSW will lock down residents in the Northern Rivers region for the next seven days over fears a Covid-positive 50-year-old Sydney man has spread the virus throughout the area
Ms Berejiklian said the figures were a wake-up call to residents to get the jab and avoid becoming seriously ill from the virus. Not a single fully vaccinated resident has ended up in ICU.
'Vaccinations are keeping people out of ICU,' she said. 'It's keeping people out of hospital.'
Of the new figures announced on Monday, at least 64 were infectious in the community.
The Air Locker Training gym in Newcastle West is also on alert after an infected person went there for two workouts, as well as a Subway in nearby Warners Bay
A record 133,000 tests were conduced and more than 11,000 people were vaccinated in the last 24 hours.
Ms Berejiklian also clarified details about her plans to have six million vaccines administered to residents by August 28 - one of the key factors to bring Greater Sydney out of lockdown.
She said the target did not mean six million first doses, but six million doses altogether.
'That could very well be that we have, maybe, 60 per cent of first doses and 40 something per cent of second doses,' she said.
NSW LATEST COVID EXPOSURE SITES
Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result
Penrith: Astina Apartments - Tuesday August 3, Wednesday August 4 and Thursday August 5, all day
Newcastle West: Air Locker Training Kotara - Monday August 2, 8.15am - 9.15am and Tuesday August 3, 6.15am - 7.15am
Warners Bay: Subway - Tuesday August 3, 11am - 5pm, Wednesday August 4, 11.30am - 5pm and Thursday August 5, 11am - 6pm
New Lambton: Wests - lower alfresco gaming area, main bar and Hopsmith bar smoking area, Wednesday August 4, 7.50pm - 10pm
Anyone who travelled on the following bus routes at the listed times is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result
Bus 269: Teralba to Warners Bay - Tuesday August 3, 10.45am - 11am and Thursday August 5, 10.45am - 11am
For casual contact sites visit NSW Health.