The New South Wales premier has addressed the possibility of lifting restrictions on the Victorian border after the southern state recorded two consecutive days of no new COVID-19 cases.
NSW, however, recorded two new locally transmitted cases on Tuesday, and ten further infections in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
The locally acquired cases are household contacts linked to the Oran Park community cluster which now numbers 25.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was cautious about opening the border with the neighbouring state quickly but would do so “as soon as we can”.
“We do need to wait to see what impact easing of restrictions in Melbourne and Victoria has before we decide exactly when that will be,” she told reporters on Tuesday.
“That’s the real test … it’s easy not to spread the virus when people have limited mobility, but once you ease restrictions and people start moving around again and start working.”
She remained scathing about Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s decision to keep Queensland’s border slammed shut saying NSW had demonstrated its capacity to run a strong economy and keep the community safe.
“I just wish we’d take the games out of this because it’s affecting people’s lives… especially when the border closure is completely unnecessary,” she said.
NSW Health is treating 77 COVID-19 cases, with one patient in intensive care.
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