Ryde Secondary College closed after coronavirus alert
The high school is closed for cleaning today after a staff member tested positive. Photo: Facebook/Ryde Secondary College
Ryde Secondary College in Sydney’s north-west has been closed after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus.
The NSW Education Department says all staff and around 1000 students at the co-educational school have been asked to stay home while the contact tracing process begins and the school is deep cleaned.
Meanwhile, Riverstone High School, Wyndham College and Schofields Public School have reopened after COVID-19 alerts.
NSW health authorities said the Holy Name Catholic Church in Wahroonga had been closed for deep cleaning after a parishioner with COVID-19 attended mass on August 23.
NSW Health said further investigations showed a person with coronavirus visited PRP Diagnostic Imaging in Hornsby and Harris Farm in Willoughby
The latest closure follows the apparent spread of COVID-19 into northern Sydney suburbs with a swathe of venues from Manly to the Central Coast closing for cleaning and contact tracing.
There were nine new COVID-19 cases in the state in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday from more than 30,000 tests, with all cases locally acquired from known sources.
NSW Health’s Jeremy McAnulty issued alerts for a number of new venues including six in Sydney’s north: Harris Farm in Willoughby on August 22, Hunters Hill Bowling Club on August 23, 4Pines
Manly on August 23, Magpies Waitara on August 24, Hornsby PRP Diagnostic Imaging on August 24 and Fitness First gym at Balgowlah.
Holy Name Catholic Church at Wahroonga has also shut as a precaution, after a parishioner who attended church on Sunday August 23 tested positive.
Churchgoers who attended the same service are considered casual contacts and must isolate and get tested if even the mildest symptoms present.
Tweet from @NSWHealth
The alerts come as a COVID-19 cluster at a gym in Sydney’s CBD has grown from three to eight people.
NSW Health says anyone who attended the City Tattersalls Club gym between 8am and 2pm on August 19, 21 or 23 should get tested for COVID-19 and isolate at home for 14 days.
The club is now closed for cleaning.
A COVID-19 alert was also issued for those who attended a dance class on Monday evening at Virgin Gym in Zetland in Sydney’s east, and the Bond Street Fitness First gym where a COVID-positive person visited on August 21 and 22.
People who visited Destro’s Pharmacy at Drummoyne in the inner west on August 22 are also advised to watch for symptoms.
Two new cases who will be included in Friday’s numbers also visited public places while infectious.
A man worked at David Jones Elizabeth St food court while infectious but did not have contact with the public, while another person commuted by train from Woy Woy on August 24 and 25.
Those on the same trains are considered casual contacts.
“While case numbers have remained low in the past two weeks, the virus continues to circulate in the community and we must all be vigilant,” Dr McAnulty said in a statement on Thursday.
There are six COVID-19 patients in NSW in intensive care, with four ventilated.
-with AAP