The Hunter COVID cluster has hit 53 cases, after 14 new infections were confirmed on Wednesday morning.

Hunter New England Health said seven of the cases were from the Newcastle local government area, six are in Lake Macquarie and one is from Maitland.

11 of the infections are linked to previous cases, with three still under investigation.

Six were active in the community during their infectious period and nine of the cases are in people aged under 30.

“Hunter New England Health is contacting close contacts of all confirmed cases and directing them to be tested and to self-isolate for 14 days from last contact, regardless of the result,” Public Health Controller for the COVID-19 response Dr David Durrheim said.

“A significant number of new contact venues were confirmed in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie area last night.

“Some new venues only came to attention of contact tracers late yesterday after multiple interviews with a current confirmed COVID-19 cases.

“If you are a confirmed case or contact, it is vital you provide contact tracers with all the information required to quickly inform our community that a venue may be an exposure site, and prevent any further transmission of the virus.”

Anyone who attended the following venues on the specified dates and times are considered close contacts and must get tested and isolate for 14 days, and await further advice from NSW Health:

• Honeysuckle Social, Newcastle on Thursday 5 August, from 12.10pm – 1.50pm
• Charlestown Leagues Club:
  • Monday 2 August from 12pm – 5pm
  • Tuesday 3 August from 5.30pm – 9.20pm
  • Wednesday 4 August from 4.40pm – 8.45pm
• Queen’s Wharf Hotel on Sunday 1 August, from 8.15pm – 9.20pm
• Bus 269 (Booragul to Warners Bay):
  • Tuesday 3 August, 10.15am – 10.27am
  • Wednesday 4 August 10.18 – 10.29am
  • Thursday 5 August from 10.16am – 10:28am

Anyone who attended the following venues on the specified dates and times are casual contacts (unless they have been contacted by NSW Health as close contacts) and must get tested and isolate until a negative test result is received:

• The Great Northern Hotel on Friday 30 July, from 7pm to 8pm
• Babylon Newcastle on Friday 30 July, from 8.05pm to 8.30pm
• The Cambridge Hotel on Friday 30 July, from 8.45pm to 3.00am Saturday 1 August.
• Ghanda Clothing, Charlestown Square on Wednesday 4 August, from 9.05am –
  9.15am
• Botanique, Peel St Tamworth on Thursday 5 August, from 9.00am – 9.05am
• Guardian Chemist, Warners Bay on Friday 6 August, from 3.30pm – 4pm
• XS Espresso, Jesmond on Sunday 1 August, from 12.16pm – 1.30pm
• Caltex, Elermore Vale on Thursday 5 August, from 8.45am – 9.15am
• Metro Service Station, Williamtown on Friday 6 August from 10.50am – 11.10am
• Big W, Jesmond on Thursday 29 July, from 8pm – 8.30pm
• Hungry Jacks, Jesmond on Monday 2 August, from 3pm – 3.15pm
• Pizza Hut, Jesmond on Monday 2 August, from 7.50pm – 8pm
• Ritchie’s IGA, New Lambton on Tuesday 3 August, from 2.35pm – 2.45pm
• Woolworths, Newcastle West:
  • Tuesday 3 August, from 9.30am – 9.50am
  • Wednesday 4 August, from 1pm – 1.20pm
• Coles, Waratah on Tuesday 3 August, from 10.45am – 11am

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said it “does not look like” the Hunter region will come out of lockdown after the new cases were recorded overnight. 

It comes as 344 new local cases were detected in NSW, with at least 65 infectious in the community.

Two people have died – a man in his 30s from northern Sydney who had other health conditions and a man in his 90s.

Ms Berejiklian encouraged everyone to come forward and get vaccinated.

“I’m looking forward to that double dose of 70% vaccination because that is when according to the best advice we have in the Doherty report, we can start to live life freely and not have the strong restrictions we have in place today,” she said on Wednesday. 

More than six million people in Sydney and surrounds are now in lockdown until at least 28 August, with the Hunter, Byron Bay, Armidale and Tamworth areas also enduring snap lockdowns.

Fennel Bay Public School at Lake Macquarie, near Newcastle is also closed on Wednesday after a student tested positive.

NSW Health has requested anyone who has been unwell or develops symptoms including a fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of smell/taste, muscle/joint pains, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting or extreme tiredness be tested.

Four new testing clinics have opened in the region at Speers Point, Wickham, Raymond Terrace and West Maitland.

There are more than 410 testing clinics open across NSW. For a complete list and booking details, please visit: health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/clinics.aspx

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For more on COVID-19:

• COVID-19: A list of exposure sites in the Hunter
• ‘No chance’ lockdown will end Thursday: Conroy
• San Clemente High School staff and students asked to self-isolate