At today's media briefing NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has appealed to all not to be complacent and to be vigilant in ensuring COVID-19 restrictions are followed.
In parts of her talk, the worried looking Premier said:
"We know what the high risk activities are. This is all about reducing the risk and controlling the spread of the disease in an uncontrolled way that would force us to take a path that we are trying to avoid. I would like to thank everyone who has come forward to get tested."
"We need to undertake activities in a different way. No mingling. No hanging around. No pretending that life is normal. No handshakes , no backslaps. Sometimes when you look around, you'd think we are in a different planet. We are no different from any parts of the world. We are not different from Victoria. We are in the middle of a pandemic. We all have to accept that life is not normal. It won't be normal till we find a vaccine and we don't know when that is. So please don't let down your guard.
"Complacency could cost lives. Complacency would prevent us from working and doing what we need to do. Call up on your friends who you see are being complacent. This is serious. The only way we would get through this is by being on our guard and assuming that everyone around us has the virus.
"We have to unfortunately have to assume that there is a small minority of people who thinking that the rules do not apply to them. That is why we have to remain vigilant."
Ms Berjeklian announced that the new restrictions that will come into place from next Friday, 24 July 2020.
* clubs, cafes, restaurants and indoor venues would now have the same restrictions as pubs - a maximum of 10 people per group bookings; a maximum of 300 patrons or one customer per 4 square metres, whichever is the lesser.
*weddings and corporate events are to be capped at 150 people or one person per four square metres; all to be seated; no singing; no dancing and no mingling,
*funerals and places of worship, the gathering limits are now at 100, or the four square metre rule; all to be seated except where funerals may have part of the ceremony to be standing up or in a burial place;
*the 20 people indoor gathering is still in place but may drop to 10 soon.
*the limit of 20 people outdoor gathering remains unchanged.
The other change that the government is bringing in is that the NSW Government will begin to charge international travellers for their hotel quarantine accommodation from 12.01am Saturday 18 July. The cost involved will be $3,000 per person; $1,000 per additional adult; and $500 for each child; all to be in the same room. Children under three years are free.
The border closure with Victoria remains in place. Breach of this rule could mean a fine of up to $11,000 or a jail sentence of up to 6 months.
NSW chief medical officer Kerry Chant confirmed eight new cases of COVID-19 had been recorded in NSW last night, plus five more cases this morning. Chant said the total number of people linked to the Crossroads Hotel Casula cluster is now at 42.
Meanwhile Victoria has recorded 428 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases to 5165. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said 57 of the new cases were from known sources, one was in quarantine and 370 were under investigation.
Victoria has three further deaths bringing the total lives lost to 32. Yesterday, a man in his 80s, a man in his 70s and a woman in her 80s have sadly passed away.