Sydney, (Asian independent) Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) on Thursday reported eight new locally transmitted coronavirus cases, taking the state’s overall tally to 4,249, according to health officials.
According to health officials, the new cases form two separate clusters — five tied to a known cluster, and the remaining three were linked to each other, The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported.
On Wednesday, the state had registered 12 new cases, including four imported and three local.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, NSW Health asked people who visited the Ripples restaurant in Milson’s Point on October 3 from 8 p.m to 10.30 p.m. to self isolate for 14 days and get tested.
A person infected with the virus had visited the establishment, and according to reports, the establishment did not record the contact information of several walk-in diners.
Reacting to the development, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Thursday that her government was mulling to make QR code scan in for venues compulsory.
“Everybody has had ample notice to register to get information with those Covid-19 safe plans in place, and when organisations go beyond complacency and don’t fulfil those obligations, well, they let everybody down,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted the Premier as saying.
Berejiklian added that those found in violation would face “the full force of the law”.
“I’m normally a tolerant and patient person but my patience is waning on businesses that don’t do the right thing.”
As of Thursday, Australia has reported a total of 27,182 coronavirus cases, with 897 deaths.
The state of Victoria remains the worst-affected with 20,237 infections and 809 fatalities.