Scott Morrison has backed Gladys Berejiklian's decision not to lock down Sydney.
The Prime Minister said the premier was 'taking the right approach' to adopt proportionate restrictions as an outbreak of the Indian Delta variant rose to 36 on Wednesday with more cases expected on Thursday.
University of Melbourne epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely said Ms Berejiklian was 'crazy' for keeping gyms open and warned lockdown will last longer for every moment she delays imposing it.
But Mr Morrison supported his Liberal colleague.
'The premier and I spoke at some length yesterday and I have been keeping in contact over the course of this last week with the situation in NSW,' Mr Morrison told Sunrise.
A woman is seen cleaning the sanitiser station at a shop store in Bondi Junction on June 23
'I think the approach that she is taking is the right one. There are sensible restrictions that are being put in place and they are affecting people right across Sydney.'
Mr Morrison said he hoped restrictions would be lifted once cases subside.
'I think that encourages people, particularly in NSW, knowing that as soon as those restrictions are not necessary they will be lifted because that is what Gladys Berejiklian and her government have always sought to do during the course of this pandemic,' he said.
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 will see 'big numbers' of new infections, with Sydneysiders ordered not to leave the city.
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.'
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
Ms Berejiklian conceded that harsher measures will be needed if cases begin to spiral out of control, particularly those not linked to known outbreaks.
'We have always said we will not burden our citizens unless we absolutely have to,' she said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Mr Morrison has warned new variants of Covid-19 emerging in poor countries are 'unpredictable' and could evade vaccines.
The Prime Minister backed his policy to keep
