Health authorities in Australia’s New South Wales State are investigating on a cluster of new coronavirus cases that have emerged there.

Six locally acquired cases registered on Sunday were said to be close contacts of a man who tested positive on Friday in the western Sydney suburb of Berala, according to a report by Reuters.

New South Wales state leader Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney that the latest outbreak shows how easily the virus can spread.

She is also calling for more people to come forward for testing.

Last week, Australia recorded a day of zero locally acquired cases after the outbreaks in three states over the summer holidays.

Australia has a strict policy of two weeks in hotel quarantine for returning international travelers.

It has tightened procedures since the virus seeped into the community from a hotel security worker last May, which sparked a second wave and a four-month lockdown in the second biggest city of Melbourne.

Australia’s new infections now rose to 18, which 12 are returned travelers. The country’s total now reached over 28,700 cases and 909 deaths. (ES)