New Covid case on same hotel floor as Sydney virus leak

Another coronavirus case has been identified on the same floor where a security guard is believed to have contracted the virus from a returned traveller, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has revealed.

The latest case is in quarantine on the 11th floor of the Sofitel Wentworth hotel in Sydney.

Genomic testing linked the original case and the security guard, who both have the highly-infectious UK strain, however it is unclear how the latest case acquired Covid-19.

Health authorities are trying to determine how the virus leaked from the 11th floor of the Sofitel hotel. Source: AAP

NSW Health however believe the returned traveller did not contract the virus overseas.

Health authorities are still trying to determine how the virus jumped from the first returned traveller to the security guard. Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant previously said there was no obvious breaches of health protocols and the security guard had behaved "exemplary".

Ms Berejiklian said the new case could help with those investigations.

"It could very much be the missing link between the overseas traveller and the guard," she said.

Ms Berejiklian told reporters the case did not pose any risk to the community and an easing of restrictions on Wednesday would go ahead as planned.

However she warned the state must remain on "high alert" for two weeks to snuff out any undetected seeding from the security guard.

Ms Berejiklian said the new case would be classified as community transmission despite the case being in hotel quarantine.

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