Positive COVID-19 case at SUNRISE sends team members into isolation

Channel 7’s news breakfast program Sunrise has been forced to deep clean its Sydney studio facility after a member of the programs production team tested positive to COVID-19 yesterday.

A special cleaning crew worked late into Thursday evening to ensure the studio would remain a safe environment for the production team. Friday’s broadcast continued largely unaffected despite the COVID concern.

Sunrise EP, Michael Pell confirmed the positive case via social media, stating:

“The team has been tested and is OK” “Strict protocols remain in place. The show must go on.”

It is understood several members of the Sunrise production team including news presenter Edwina Bartholomew, are now isolating while they await test results.

The concern comes just days after Bartholomew confirmed she had received her first COVID vaccine. The presenter has been promoting the vaccine’s benefits after last week announcing she is expecting her second child.

UPDATE: Bartholomew appeared on the program after 8am to confirm she had tested negative to the virus. However, due to being a close contact of the infected employee, the news presenter will now be required to stay in isolation for the next 14-days.

Fellow presenters Natalie Barr, David Koch and Mark Beretta are understood to be fully vaccinated.

A spokesperson for Seven confirmed the positive COVID-19 case telling TV Blackbox:

Seven West Media confirms a positive case of COVID-19 has been identified in a staff member of the Martin Place office.

The staff member took a COVID-19 test after they were identified earlier in the week as a close contact of a positive case unrelated to Seven. The staff member is double vaccinated, does not reside in an LGA hotspot and is asymptomatic. The staff member has been in self isolation from the moment they were identified as a close contact and their test results were later confirmed as positive.

The staff member worked in Martin Place earlier this week.

Seven is introducing all precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of all staff, as well as the broader community, and is working to the NSW Health guidelines and all other relevant regulations.

All close contacts of the staff member have been identified. They have been contacted and advised to get tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.

All casual contacts of the staff member have been identified. They have been contacted and advised to get tested and isolate until a result is received.

Our Martin Place centre was deep cleaned on Thursday evening. From this morning, rapid antigen tests are available for all staff wishing to be tested on-site at Martin Place. For field crews, testing is at the rear of the Eveleigh studios.

At this time, there is no change to today’s production schedule. We have back-up plans in place should the situation change at all.

Seven’s number one priority is the health, safety and welfare of all staff and the community.