NSW authorities have revealed they have found patient zero who is believed to be a man from Melbourne who travelled on June 30.
He is the most likely source of the coronavirus outbreak at the Crossroads Hotel in Sydney.
The state’s chief coronavirus “detective” Jennie Musto explained to reporters on Wednesday that the man was the most likely source as he travelled to his workplace back in NSW.
Ms Musto manages all teams that trace coronavirus infections.
She said that the workplace was a freight company, although the man was not a truck driver.
“About six” of his colleagues were also infected with the virus.
The man and a number of his colleagues went to the Crossroads for a party on July which led to an outbreak at the hotel.
The hotel is now linked to at least 34 cases.
“The man from Melbourne didn’t think he was particularly unwell, didn't think he was sick with COVID, he travelled on the 30th of June, he’s been in NSW for a while and it wasn’t until we interviewed him and his colleagues with more detail that we made the link that they were all on the Crossroads on the 3rd of July,” Ms Musto said.
Authorities are not releasing details of the workplace but have revealed there is little to no risk there.
NSW recorded 13 new cases of coronavirus to 8 pm on Wednesday, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard confirmed.
“Don’t get an expectation that it (case numbers) will always be zero because we think this virus will continue to transmit lowly,” he said.
“We will have transmission from time to time and that’s just the way it is.”
Three of the cases tested positive while in hotel and the other 10 are linked to the Crossroads Hotel.
Six of the coronavirus cases actually attended the event at the hotel, while two are close relatives.
Dr Chant says she is concerned about people who have been travelling NSW from Melbourne, even before the borders closed.
“We are very concerned about areas where we may have had a number of visitors from Melbourne and the Mitchell Shires. Particularly in our coastal areas and border communities we need to have high rates of testing so if there’s been any seeding we can mop it up,” Dr Chant said.
“The crossroads highlights we won’t gain control of this if we don’t have people on board.”
This article originally appeared on Over60.