Cumberland, Blacktown LGAs are now subject to tougher restrictions as COVID-19 cases rise

Workers in the Blacktown and Cumberland LGAs will no longer be able to leave their communities other than for ‘critical’ work as the NSW government imposes harsher restrictions in Sydney’s south-west amid a surge in coronavirus cases. 

Strict stay-at-home orders for workers have been extended to two additional local government areas as the COVID-19 outbreak floods south-western Sydney.

Workers in Cumberland and Blacktown LGAs will no longer be able to leave the community for work unless they are classified as ‘critical’ on the authorised list provided by the New South Wales government.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the change during her daily COVID-19 update on Friday, revealing it was a decision made during an emergency cabinet crisis meeting this morning.

Under the measures, only health and emergency workers will be allowed to leave the LGAs.

“Now can I stress deeply, we really really want everybody to follow these orders, to make sure, that as I said, we contain this virus within these Local Government Areas,” Ms Berejiklian said. 

It comes as NSW recorded 136 new coronavirus cases overnight, 53 of which were in the community whilst infectious. 

“There is no doubt that the numbers are not going in the direction we were hoping they would at this stage and it’s fairly apparent we wont be close to zero next Friday,” the Premier said. 

“The crisis cabinet meeting of the NSW government met this morning … where Dr Chant and her team advised us that the situation that exists now in NSW, mainly around south-western and now western Sydney suburbs, is regarded as a national emergency. 

“And for that purpose and for that reason the NSW government will be taking action in relation to that.” 

“Can I stress how deeply grateful we are that most of the work that’s carried out to keep all of us fed, all of us well and healthy comes from the south west and western Sydney suburbs. 

“We have to acknowledge that and thank all the citizens there but we also have to acknowledge we have to contain the spread of the virus and that is critical at this time which is why the NSW government has – based on Dr Chant’s advice this morning – taken these additional measures.” 

The stay-at-home orders for workers were earlier imposed on three LGAs in Greater Sydney; Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool. 

Under the public health orders, anyone who lives in the Fairfield region who is classified as an ‘authorised’ worker will need to undergo a COVID-19 test every three days in order to travel to their workplace.

For Canterbury-Liverpool residents, aged care or health workers are required to get tested every three days in order to leave to the community for work.

Industries classified as’authorised’ are: