COVID-19 cases have surged again in the Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) after 633 were detected overnight.
There are now 1,452 active cases in the region with nine people requiring care in hospital, two are in ICU.
Of the new infections, the Newcastle LGA recorded 267 while Lake Macquarie was not far behind with 213.
Maitland (45), Port Stephens (40) and Cessnock (30) made the list with 115 cases found across the three LGAs.
Further up the valley, Singleton added eight cases, Muswellbrook found seven and the Upper Hunter LGA detected four.
Dungog also registered one infection.
The remaining cases are in the Mid Coast (eight), Armidale Regional (four), Tamworth Regional (three), Gunnedah, Inverell and Moree Plains LGAs.
NSW Health continues to be concerned about the region because of the ongoing spread of the virus, where a number of the cases are the Omicron variant of concern.
“Several venues and events have now seen transmission of COVID-19, and NSW Health again asks everyone across the community to continue to be particularly careful and practise COVID-safe behaviours,” a spokesperson said.
“We urge the local Newcastle community to seriously consider deferring any social events in Newcastle until after Christmas in order to help keep family Christmas gatherings safe, and to help protect their loved ones, the vulnerable and our essential workers.”
It comes as a new exposure site was revealed last night.
Anyone who attended The Cambridge Hotel from 6.30pm Friday 10 December to 2.30am Saturday 11 December is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for seven days.
Household contacts must also isolate and get tested because of the high transmission rate.
NSW as a whole reported 1,742 infections.
There are currently 192 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 26 people in intensive care, eight of whom require ventilation.
The Omicron variant of concern is also spreading, with a total 122 cases.
If you need to get tested for COVID-19 there are more than 450 clinics open across NSW.
For a complete list and booking details, visit: health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/clinics.aspx
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