A COVID-19 cluster linked to a gym in Sydney's CBD has increased to 41 cases while a school in western Sydney will be closed for another day after it was exposed to several cases.
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NSW recorded 13 new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday including two in hotel quarantine and 11 which are locally acquired.
Seven of the locally acquired cases are linked to the Sydney CBD cluster associated with the City Tattersalls gym.
One of the new cases connected to the cluster visited the City Tattersalls gym and two worked at Reddam Early Learning Centre in Lindfield, with all staff and children who attended the centre considered close contacts and directed to get tested and isolate for 14 days.
Of the other cases reported on Tuesday, one is linked to Liverpool Hospital and three new cases attended St Paul's Catholic College in Greystanes.
All Year 10 students at the western Sydney school have been identified as close contacts and have been directed to get tested and isolate for 14 days. The school will remain closed for on-site learning on Wednesday while contact tracing is underway.
Parents were also called to urgently collect their kids from Girraween Public School on Tuesday afternoon after a student returned a positive virus test result.
The school, and its outside of hours care centre, will remain closed Wednesday for cleaning.
All students and staff are required to isolate while contact tracing takes place.
NSW Health has also directed anyone who dined at It's Time for Thai restaurant in Newtown on August 28 between 5pm and 8pm to immediately get tested and self-isolate for 14 days.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Tuesday announced an easing of the state's border permit system with Victoria, re-establishing a 50km border buffer zone.
The zone will be expanded from 2.5km on Friday to help border communities go about their lives as normal.
She also flagged she was confident HSC students will be able to go ahead with their end of school social activities after their exams.
"I am hopeful and very confident that in term four, health will give direction on what is a COVID safe way to have those end of year rituals all of us had when we finished year 12," she told reporters.
Year 12 students will also be given priority for testing to minimise any potential disruption to their exams.
As the weather warms up, Ms Berejiklian urged people to spend time outdoors in the fresh air as long as they maintained social distancing.
"It's a healthier environment than when you're in an enclosed space, where you're less likely to be able to socially distance and where the virus can transmit at a higher level," she said.
The premier earlier in the week said if the Sydney CBD cluster remained under control she may reconsider the ban on visits to Sydney and Central Coast nursing homes in time for Father's Day on Sunday.
NSW Health is treating 73 coronavirus patients, with six in intensive care and three on ventilators.
Australian Associated Press
