NSW reported 13 new coronavirus cases overnight, ten of which can be linked to a cluster from Thai Rock restaurant in Wetherill Park. This takes the Thai Rock cluster to 26. All 13 cases have been traced to known sources. Two of the new cases could be traced to contacts linked to the Crossroads Hotel outbreak. The final case is a returned overseas traveller.

NSW Health is warning residents to remember COVID safe behaviour such as hand hygiene and cough etiquette as community transmission is on the rise. Health authorities are urging people to limit non-essential travel and avoid gatherings of more than 10 people.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd has recommended the use of facemasks for anyone unable to socially distance.

“This may include, of course, being on public transport, going into the supermarket if it is crowded, going into elevators in high buildings. Also very important for people who are at increased risk of COVID-19, people who have chronic health conditions or elderly people who if they were infected are at risk of becoming much more unwell.”

Patrons and staff who were at the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club between July 13 and 17 have also been requested to self-isolate following eight confirmed cases associated with the club in recent days.

There were 15,903 tests carried out in NSW in the last 24 hours, compared to 21,167 tests done in the previous 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Victoria continues to report a large number of community transmissions with 374 new cases diagnosed overnight.  The state also reported three further deaths; a woman in her 100s, a woman in her 90s and a woman in her 80s.

The news comes as Victoria prepares to introduce mandatory masks or face coverings from Wednesday in an effort to curb transmissions.

In Queensland Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk declared the state was prepared to shut the border to more NSW postcodes if efforts to curb coronavirus numbers did not improve.

“There is a possibility that more hotspots in NSW could be declared by Queensland but we are not going to pre-empt that decision,” Palaszczuk said.

”We are observing what is happening at the moment in relation to community transmission. My understanding is that yesterday the majority of the cases were accounted for.

“We’re waiting to see what happens in NSW today and we are getting ready. If we need to declare further hotspots we will not hesitate.”

Queensland reported no new case overnight.