The cluster of coronavirus cases in NSW linked to the Crossroads Hotel continues to grow, and while the pub and other nearby venues linked to patrons were closed on Monday for cleaning, The Star casino remains open after reporting a confirmed case.
There are now 21 cases linked to the Crossroads Hotel including a teenage staff member who worked across several days in July, four people who had dinner on July 3rd, a Victorian man and two Sydney men.
The Star confirmed to SMH that a male patron who visited the casino on Saturday, July 4th, has also tested positive. The patron previously visited the Crossroads Hotel.
“The Star has today been informed by NSW Health that a patron who visited The Star Sydney on Saturday, 4 July 2020 from around 7.30pm to 10.30pm has returned a positive test for COVID-19,” said a spokesperson.
Picton Hotel and Planet Fitness Casula joined the Crossroads Hotel in closing for deep cleaning, but The Star hasn’t been required to close, nor has it voluntarily closed for cleaning. In the statement today, a spokesperson confirmed the Pyrmont venue is open for business and is adhering to its COVIDSafe plan. Yeah right, how reassuring and not at all ominous…
The ABC confirmed that the casino has now been fined $5,000 for breaching social-distancing rules.
#BREAKING: Sydney's The Star Casino has been fined $5,000 for breaching social-distancing rules, just hours after confirming a patron had tested positive for coronavirus.
— ABC News (@abcnews) July 13, 2020
The Star is now apparently working with NSW Health to engage in contact tracing, while anyone who attended the casino around that time and on that day are encouraged to get tested for COVID-19.
The casino reopened on June 1st under restrictions, but from July 1st it was able to host 5,000 people at any one time. That restriction remains in place.
It would seem that the NSW Government’s reputation for giving special treatment to casinos will continue for the foreseeable future. NSW Health hasn’t responded to a request by the SMH for a comment on The Star remaining open at this time.
The NSW outbreak followed 177 additional coronavirus cases being confirmed in Victoria on Monday, after 273 cases were reported on Sunday.
“We may not have reached our peak yet,” said Victoria Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton.
