With Sydney failing to bring down the number of COVID-19 cases infectious in the community, tighter restrictions have been introduced.

Of the 111 cases recorded in NSW today, 29 were active in the community for the entirety of their infectious period.

Yesterday, 29 were in the community during their infectious period.

In response, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced “very difficult decisions” have been made to lock down cases in south-west Sydney.

“This number is stubborn, and it won’t go down.

“We want to make sure we have a ‘no regrets’ policy.”

Workers in the three local government areas of Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool will not be allowed to leave their LGA from midnight tonight.

Emergency services and health workers will be exempt.

Only critical retail will remain open, including supermarkets, from midnight tonight across Greater Sydney.

Click-and-collect, delivery and takeaway is allowed.

Exempt retailers are:

• Supermarkets and grocery stores (including butchers, bakeries, fruit and vegetable stores, liquor stores and fishmongers)
• Stores that predominantly sell health, medical, maternity and infant supplies
• Pharmacies and chemists
• Petrol stations
• Car hire
• Banks and financial institutions
• Hardware, nurseries and building supplies
• Agricultural and rural supplies
• Pet supplies
• Post offices and newsagents
• Office supplies

From Monday until July 30, there will be a pause on all construction, large or small, to reduce mobility.

Non-urgent maintenance, including cleaning services, and repair work on residential premises will also be paused.

Employers who force their staff to return to an office environment will face harsher penalties, with on-the-spot fines of $10,000.

All carpooling in Greater Sydney is also banned.

The Premier also stressed the importance of continued surveillance testing in the south-west, which has identified asymptomatic cases.

A man in his 80s from Sydney’s south-east has died, bringing the death toll from this outbreak to two.

There have been 1,137 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in the Bondi cluster was reported.

You can see the list of COVID-19 exposure venues below.

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/nsw-covid-19-case-locations

Image: Nine News