As the highly infectious Indian strain of Covid continues to spread across Sydney, Gladys Berejiklian is under mounting pressure to lock the city down - but close colleagues say the premier has no intention of confining millions to their homes.
Sixteen new infections were announced on Wednesday, bringing the total to 36 new community infections in the Harbour City after a super spreader event saw 10 people infected at a birthday party, which was attended by 30 people.
Sources close to the Berejiklian government have hinted that Thursday could see 'big numbers' of new infections, with Sydneysiders already ordered not to leave the city.
Lockdown-happy premiers in other states including Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland have already slammed their borders shut, disrupting school holiday plans for thousands.
Ms Berejiklian, who has always strived to take a measured approach to outbreaks, has so far stood firm by refusing to lock down Sydney, instead bringing in a number of restrictions including limits of five visitors to a household and mandatory masks.
But in the face of a growing number of cases, senior health source admitted to Daily Mail Australia that the trend of infections is 'not good'.
When asked about a potential lockdown, the source said: 'It certainly looks like that's where we are heading.'
Covid cases are on the rise in Sydney with sources saying Thursday will bring 'big numbers' (pictured, a couple in mandatory masks in Manly)
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured on Wednesday) has so far managed to fend off a lockdown, instead bringing in restrictions including limited visitors to the home and mandatory masks - even in offices
Four new mystery infections have contributed to widespread speculation that the city will be locked down by the end of the week, with sources telling the ABC and 7 News such restrictions could be imminent.
The Indian variant is so contagious that two people in Bondi this week caught Covid by momentarily brushing past each other.
But NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has rubbished the lockdown claims, saying they have 'zero' truth to them.
'No plan to lockdown contrary to media reports this evening,' Mr Hazzard told news.com.au on Wednesday night.
'Measures implemented this afternoon are proportionate and appropriate. Reports of a lockdown are greatly exaggerated.'
Those who live and work in seven hotspot suburbs will not be allowed to leave metropolitan Sydney unless they have an essential reason
On Wednesday evening, NSW Health added 12 stores, a busy bus route and three train lines to the burgeoning list of exposure sites in the city. Pictured: Passengers at Sydney Domestic Airport
The outbreak has forced Ms Berejiklian to bring in new restrictions, including banning people from metropolitan Sydney from leaving the city, but she stopped short of shutting down businesses.
Her interstate counterparts were quick to slam their borders shut to residents amid the latest outbreak - potentially ruining travel plans over the school holidays, which begin on Friday.
Queensland's premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has rushed to declare all of Sydney a Covid-19 hotspot, slamming the borders shut to millions.
The move came after draconian moves by Western Australia and South Australia, which have shut the border to the entire of New South Wales.
In Victoria, people from seven local government areas are banned from the state - City of Sydney, Waverley, Woollahra, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West and Randwick.
The majority of the 16 new cases stem from a birthday party on Saturday in West Hoxton, in western Sydney, which included an infected Bondi Junction Westfield worker.
Lockdown-happy premiers in other states including Western Australia , Victoria and Queensland have already slammed their borders shut, disrupting school holiday plans for thousands (inset, the Sydney suburbs deemed 'hotspots')
Passengers are seen lining up to check in at Sydney Domestic Airport on Wednesday as states rushed to shut their borders
The man in his 30s was not suffering any symptoms at the time, but was tested the next day when they developed and received a positive result on Monday.
All party attendees were ordered into self-isolation, with eight partygoers who came forward for testing on Tuesday found to have contracted the virus.
This includes a two-year-old child who attended Little Zak’s childcare in Narellan Vale, near Campbelltown, on Monday.
NSW Health added 12 stores, a busy bus route and three train lines to the burgeoning list of exposure sites in the city late on Wednesday evening.
New venues included three eastern suburbs supermarkets, a TAFE building in Meadowbank, and an office building on Pitt Street in the CBD.
A BWS store in Mascot is also on alert, along with United Cinemas in Narellan, and three trendy eastern suburbs cafes.
Sydneysiders who were at the Tropicana Cafe in Darlinghurst between 12pm and 2pm on Friday 18 June, or Ikaria Bondi between 5pm and 7pm on Sunday June 20 have been told to contact NSW Health immediately and isolate for two weeks.
Shoppers at Coles Express Shell Petrol station on Birrell Street in Bondi Junction in the half an hour after 7.15pm on June 18 should get tested and isolate immediately, along with anyone who was at Wooworths Metro at Bondi Beach between 1 and 1.30pm on June 20.
Visitors at to Coles Kings Cross in Potts Point between 8pm and 9pm on Monday June 21 should also get tested and isolate, along with anyone who was at the Transport NSW Training Centre in Petersham between 4 and 4.10pm on Monday.
New exposure sight: On Wednesday, it was announced the Joh Bailey salon was exposed from June 17 to June 19
A public health warning has also been issued Christo's Pizzeria in near Paddington (pictured)
