New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian has asked parents to keep their children home as the state recorded a total of 669 cases of coronavirus infection, The Sydney Morning Health has reporeted.

The premier added that schools will remain open for families that have no option but to send their children to school.

Berejiklian said: “The health advice has not changed. However, for practical reasons in NSW we will be encouraging parents to keep their children at home. Already last week we had up to 30% of parents who chose to keep their [children] at home, and we appreciate and anticipate that number will increase.

“I want to stress … for parents that are workers and have no option, the school is safe for children to attend schools. No child will be turned away from school.”