Covid 19 coronavirus: Why Sydney hasn't gone into lockdown despite spike in cases

Cars queue at a Covid testing clinic in Bondi, Sydney on June 22. Photo / News Corp Australia

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has dismissed suggestions Sydney should go into lockdown as Covid-19 cases surge, but has left the door open should the outbreak take an ugly turn.

NSW recorded a worrying 10 new community infections today. There are now 21 infections linked to the Bondi outbreak.

The only case among the 10 that is not linked to the Bondi cluster is a student from St Charles Catholic Primary School in the suburb of Waverley.

Berejiklian said if unlinked cases began to rise, she would consider a lockdown.

"At this stage we follow [chief health officer] Dr [Kerry] Chant and the health advice," she said.

"Because all but one case is linked to an existing case and that case was only discovered a few hours ago … that gives us a degree of confidence that what we have asked people to do matches the risk that is there at the moment.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Photo / News Corp Australia

"If that changes, if we suddenly have a number of unlinked cases and if we suddenly have them outside the geographic region they are concentrated in, we will obviously adjust the health advice and we will respond to that."

However, Berejiklian did announce a week-long extension of mask restrictions to all of greater Sydney today.

Masks will remain compulsory on public transport and indoor venues until midnight on Wednesday, June 30.

"It is only when you are eating or drinking indoors at a venue that you can't or shouldn't wear a mask," Berejiklian said.

"In every other circumstance, if you live or are in Sydney, you must wear a mask for another week beyond Wednesday midnight."