As it happened: NSW records 97 new cases of COVID-19, Sydney lockdown extended for two weeks; 11 cases in Victoria as MCG named an exposure site

The Victorian government has tightened COVID-19 restrictions around face masks as the number of cases and exposure sites rise.

In a late night tweet, the government said that from 11.59pm on Wednesday face mask rules would change for anyone aged 12 and above.

Face masks will be mandatory indoors, including all workplaces and secondary schools (not at home), unless an exemption applies.

Masks must also be worn outdoors if you cannot maintain a 1.5 metre distance from people who are not from your household (such as when undertaking outdoor exercise).

The government said exceptions would apply and these can be found here.

Thanks for following our live coverage of the day’s events. A lot has happened in the past 12 hours and the situation is rapidly evolving in Victoria tonight. Here’s everything you need to know now:

• NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed this morning that the lockdown in Greater Sydney, now in its third week, will be extended by at least another two weeks from Monday (that’s until 11.59pm on Friday July 30). She says the state needs to be “flexible and nimble during this pandemic”.

• NSW reported 97 new local COVID-19 cases, 24 of which were in the community during their infectious period and seven of which were in isolation for only part of their infectious period. The premier has said that number needs to be as close as possible to zero before the lockdown can be lifted.

• Victoria has recorded 11 new local coronavirus cases, including one announced earlier today, a further seven announced before midday and three more this evening. The cases are linked to the locked-down Ariele Apartments complex in Maribyrnong in Melbourne’s north-west, which was visited by two removalists from Sydney while they were infectious, and a Victorian family who returned recently from Sydney.
• Four of those 11 cases are residents of the Ariele Apartments. One of the four residents is a man in his 60s who visited the MCG on Saturday, July 10, between 4pm and 8pm. He sat on level two of the MCG Members’ Reserve for the Carlton vs Geelong game. Another two cases are his parents, who do not live in the building. A further three cases, confirmed late today, are a Bacchus Marsh teacher who attended the MCG at this time with a resident of the apartment complex. Two of the teacher’s family members have also tested positive.
• The first Victorian case reported this morning is the fourth member of the Victorian family, all of whom have now tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from Sydney. A new case reported today, a man in his 30s, is linked to the family because he visited Craigieburn Coles around the same time as one member of that family (who was supposed to be in isolation).
• A cabinet meeting involving the Victorian government’s eight most senior ministers, including Premier Daniel Andrews, is set to be held on Wednesday evening and will meet again on Thursday morning to discuss a response to the fast-growing crisis as some experts urged the government to reintroduce mask-wearing and ask people to work from home if they can.

This is Michaela Whitbourn signing off on the blog now. My colleague Broede Carmody will be back with you from 6am.

The Victorian government has tightened COVID-19 restrictions around face masks as the number of cases and exposure sites rise.

In a late night tweet, the government said that from 11.59pm on Wednesday face mask rules would change for anyone aged 12 and above.

Face masks will be mandatory indoors, including all workplaces and secondary schools (not at home), unless an exemption applies.

Masks must also be worn outdoors if you cannot maintain a 1.5 metre distance from people who are not from your household (such as when undertaking outdoor exercise).

The government said exceptions would apply and these can be found here.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg attended the same AFL match as two newly identified positive COVID-19 cases on Saturday.

In a tweet sent out on Saturday afternoon with Blues legend Chris Judd, Mr Frydenberg said he was “looking forward to this afternoon’s game at the ’G”.

Mr Frydenberg’s office said the Treasurer was not in the members area and did not enter the tier-2 exposure site.

The Carlton v Geelong clash, held at the MCG on July 10, is currently listed as a tier-3 exposure site on the Victorian Health Department’s website. Level two of the MCC members’ reserve section is currently listed as a tier-2 site.

Both of Melbourne’s new outbreaks resulted from people breaking the rules. The largest, where nine of the 11 new Victorian cases emerged, was Ariele Apartment complex in Maribyrnong, where three removalists from Sydney worked last week.

One of the residents of the apartment complex, a man in his 60s who has since tested positive for COVID-19, attended the AFL match on Saturday. Another Barwon man who teaches at Bacchus Marsh Grammar has also tested positive after attending the event with a friend from the Maribyrnong apartments.

Victorian travellers to South Australia must have a COVID-19 test upon arrival from midnight tonight and must avoid high-risk settings including aged care.

The restrictions have been imposed by the South Australian government in response to a growing COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne, linked to Sydney-based removalists who travelled to Victoria while infectious and a Melbourne family who returned recently from Sydney.

NSW Health has just released more alerts for venues, mostly located in Sydney’s south west, that were visited by known COVID-19 cases.Anyone who attended the following venues is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days:

• Redfern, Strawberry Hills Post Shop on July 8 between 1.00pm and 2.30pm
• Fairfield, Sunshine One, Neeta City Shopping Centre on July 9 between 10.40am to 11.10am
• Cabramatta, TrueScan Radiology on July 13 between 11.00am and 1.00pm
• Cabramatta, Cabramatta Medical and Dental Clinic on July 13 between 10.30am and 11.30am

Anyone who attended the following venues is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received:

• Rosebery, Valentino Place residential apartment complex 1, 5, 9 Rothschild Avenue; 2, 4, 6, Spring Street and 2, 4 Stedman Street all day on July 8, 9, 10 ,11 and 12
• Merrylands, Sadaqat Supermarket on July 8 between 4:00pm and 7:00pm
• Hurstville, Adam’s Kebabs and Pizza-Pide on July 9 between 2.00am and 2.20am
• North Rocks, Coles North Rocks on July 9 between 10.00am and 10.40am
• Fairfield Heights, 7-Eleven, 234 Hamilton Road and The Boulevarde on July 9 between 10.15am and 10.30am
• Fairfield, Red Lea Chicken, Neeta City Shopping Centre on July 9 between
• 10.20am and 10.50am
• Bonnyrigg, Bunnings on July 9 between 10.45am and 12.00pm
• Fairfield Heights, Woolworths on July 9 between 11.10am and 11.40am
• Waterloo, Aldi Waterloo on July 10 between 9.30am and 10.00am
• Fairfield Heights, Woolworths, Fairfield Heights Shopping Mall on July 10 between 9.35pm and 10.00pm
• Hurstville, Starbucks Westfield Hurstville on July 7 between 8.00am and 8.10am, July 10 between midday and 12:05pm and July 11 between 12.10pm and 12.15pm
• Fairfield, Coles, Fairfield Forum on July 10 between 2.00pm and 3.00pm
• Merrylands, Woolworths Pitt Street on July 10 between 2.15pm and 3:45pm
• Fairfield, Fruitmania on July 10 between 3pm and 4pm
• Fairfield, Meat Market, Fairfield Forum, on July 10 between 3pm and 4pm
• Wetherill Park, Woolworths on July 10 between 4.15pm and 5.15pm
• Fairfield Heights, Woolworths, Fairfield Heights Shopping Mall July 11 between 8pm and 8.25pm
• Punchbowl, Ampol Foodary on July 12 between 4.20pm to 4.35pm

A full list of exposure sites can be viewed here.