Balmain residents urged to come forward for COVID-19 testing

Health officials are urging anyone who lives in the Sydney suburb of Balmain to come forward if they have any symptoms resembling coronavirus.

The warning comes after a worker at Balmain Woolworths tested positive for the virus after returning from Bangladesh, via a stop in Melbourne.

The man spent two weeks in hotel quarantine in Melbourne and developed symptoms on June 14.

He tested positive for coronavirus on June 18 and was released from quarantine on June 26, 14 days after he arrived in Melbourne, but 12 days after the onset of symptoms.

The man travelled to Sydney on Jetstar flight JQ510 on June 26 and then worked shifts at the Woolworths store at 276 Darling Street, Balmain on June 27 and 28.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said anyone who visited the Woolworths store on either of the days the man worked should come forward and be tested if they had any flu- or cold-like symptoms, or other COVID symptoms, however mild.

"NSW Health is now acting on a precautionary basis. Balmain residents should be on alert for any symptoms and come forward and get tested," Mr Hazzard said.

He said Woolworths is managing the situation and ensuring staff who came into contact with the man are in self-isolation.

A thorough clean of the store is also underway.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said NSW Health immediately started rigorous contact tracing procedures after the man tested positive.

"Fifty staff at the store have been told to self-isolate immediately, while NSW Health officials are contact tracing anyone else who may have been in contact with the man," Dr Chant said.

"The man worked in the self-service section of Darling Street Woolworths and while we believe him to be a low-level risk of infection we are taking every precaution possible to protect the people on NSW."

Anyone concerned they may have contracted the virus after visiting the Woolworths store is urged to attend one of the COVID-19 clinics set up across the city.