New South Wales has recorded eight new local cases of coronavirus over the last 24 hours.
Seven of these are directly linked to the cluster on Sydney's Northern Beaches.
READ MORE: Returned Victorian traveller tested positive to COVID-19 after visiting Sydney hotspot
The eighth local case is in a healthcare worker from western Sydney who is involved in the transfer of patients from the international airport.
"This case has transported several patients but we have identified that they also have transferred positive COVID cases," Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said.
"We are obviously doing urgent genome sequencing to confirm that that is the source of their infection and those results will be available later today."
A close contact of this worker also tested positive to the virus last night, Dr Chant said.
"A close workplace contact of this healthcare worker has come back positive since the 8pm figures and that will be included in the count for tomorrow."
https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1341173224889937920State health authorities have issued alerts for more than 50 new venues where a positive case may have attended while potentially infectious and Dr Chant asked the community to keep up to date with warnings.
"We're taking a very low threshold for listing those venues so please keep alert and share that information with your friends as well," she said.
Venues outside the Northern Beaches on alert
NSW Health is focusing their attention on a number of venues outside the Northern Beaches area where community transmission may have occurred.
One of the venues of concern is the Rose of Australia hotel in Erskineville where one patron dined from 7pm to 9pm on December 15 while infectious.
Another diner tested positive on Sunday.
"We believe there has been transmission from the first person to the new case at the venue as they were both diners there at the same time," Dr Chant said.
The second case was part of a work dinner and all attendees at that dinner are being tested.
"We're also investigating how the contact between the first and second person occurred because that's casual contact between those," Dr Chant said.
"But I would urge anyone who has been there should be self-isolating."
The Paddington Alimentari deli and café in Hopetoun Street in Paddington is also on alert following the diagnosis of COVID-19 in a staff member.
All patrons who dined at the venue from December 17 to 19 are considered close contacts of a case and should get tested for COVID-19 immediately and isolate for 14 days from their visit regardless of a negative test result.
A positive case has also been identified after they visited a Bodyfit Gym on 27 Sackville Street in Blacktown on December 16 from 7am to 8am, December 17 from 7am to 8am and December 18 from 7am to 8am.
Record testing numbers
There was a record of more than 44,000 tests in the past 24 hours.
"That is a record we did not expect and I feel so proud and deeply grateful that people have responded not just in the Northern Beaches community, but throughout Sydney and throughout all of New South Wales and that's exactly what we want and what we need to see continue," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
More to come.
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