After a Virgin cabin crew member from Sydney tested positive for COVID-19, health authorities are working hard to reach passengers on five flights.
Virgin reports that they were positive following a quick test on Saturday night.
Five flights were operated on Friday and Saturday, taking passengers to and from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, respectively.
Virgin Australia has released a statement saying that the crew member was now isolated and that it is contacting all close contacts.
"Virgin Australia requires those crew members not to fly, to be tested and isolated.
"All passengers aboard flights operated by the crew member will be contacted and instructed on the proper protocol by the health authorities."
As health officials work to control a "concerning coronavirus epidemic" and increase the number of exposed sites, all of Greater Sydney will be in lockdown for two weeks starting Saturday at 6pm.
Gladys Berejiklian, the Premier of NSW, announced that current lockdown measures would be extended following a Cabinet meeting in crisis on Saturday. This was after 12 newly acquired infections were reported to the state.
All Greater Sydney residents are eligible to stay-at-home orders. This includes the Blue Mountains, Wollongong, Central Coast, Wollongong, and Shellharbour. The order is valid from Saturday 6pm to Sunday midnight.
The stay-at-home orders were initially limited to four Sydney areas of local government - Woollahra Waverley Randwick and the City of Sydney.
Ms Berejiklian stated that "The NSW government has always taken the expert advice in health care."
"Even though it's not our intention to impose burdens on people unless absolutely necessary, this is an instance where we must. This is the most dangerous time since the pandemic began, which I have proven to be true."
The orders require that everyone living in Greater Sydney stay home, except for essential reasons, such as shopping for food or other essential goods or services or exercising outside in groups of 10 or less, or essential work or education, if they are not possible to study or work at their home.
Weddings are not permitted after 11:59pm Sunday 27 June. Funerals are limited to one per four square meters with a cap 100 people. Masks indoors are not allowed.
During the lockdown, community sport will be prohibited.
Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Canada, urged people to keep calm.
In a Facebook video, he stated that "This is a necessary choice that the NSW government has made." "This is a decision they have taken slowly, but they have tried to prevent. This is the only way to keep an eye on this latest outbreak.
"We can get through them (the effects) by looking after one another and following these commonsense steps that have been set up."
Expect financial support for businesses within days
Ms Berejiklian advised people not to panic, buy or worry about their finances. Shops remain open and the state government will announce financial assistance in coming days.
Australia's deputy chief physician officer, Professor Michael Kidd, stated that the federal government has declared Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, and Wollongong COVID-19 hotspots. Federal support payments up to $500 will be extended for those areas.
"It's not easy when all of you have to face such circumstances, but it's all the same situation," Ms Berejiklian stated. "We've done this before. "We know the drill."
Anybody who was in Greater Sydney after 21 June must follow the 14-day stay-at-home instructions.
Regional NSW will also have restrictions to stop COVID-19 from being seeded into its regions. Household visitors will be restricted to five people, including children. Masks will also be required in any indoor non-residential setting, workplaces and outdoor events.
For all indoor and outdoor settings, including funerals and weddings, the one-per-four square-metre rule will be reinstated. Outdoor seated and ticketed events, however, will only be 50 per cent.
After seven days, review
Ms Berejiklian stated that a two-week lockdown was necessary to stop the spread of the deadly Delta variant in the community. However, health officials will review the situation after seven days.
She said, "If there is a dramatic change of trend after seven days, we'll clearly evaluate the situation."
"But I want the public to know that this will be a lockdown for two weeks.
"The best advice we can get from NSW Health is to be ready for more cases."
Out of more than 55,220 tested, Saturday's official case count was 29. Every case except one is related to an existing cluster.
