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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National

Hunter cluster spreads as NSW records 804 COVID-19 cases, one death

Testing times: The Honeysuckle COVID-19 testing clinic was swamped on Monday following COVID case notifications at several Hunter venues. Picture: Peter Lorimer

COVID-19 infections have surged in NSW with 804 new cases and one death, as a cluster in Newcastle spreads, forcing more people into isolation.

The new tally is an increase of 268 on the previous day, as NSW Health battles to contain several large transmission events.

Some 86,562 tests were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday.

The double-dose vaccination rate of those 16 and older is 93.2 per cent, while 94.8 per cent of people have had their first jab.

There are 168 people are in hospital with the virus, 21 of them in intensive care.

Some 81.4 per cent of children aged 12-15 have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 77.7 per cent are fully jabbed.

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Meanwhile, NSW Health says anyone who was at Newcastle's Finnegan's Hotel in Darby Street between 6.30pm on Friday and 2.30am on Saturday is advised to get tested and self-isolate for seven days.

"All household contacts of close contacts must also be tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received by everyone in the household," NSW Health said on Monday night.

"It is likely some of these cases have the Omicron variant of concern."

NSW Health is appealing for anyone who didn't check in using the QR code to also get tested and self-isolate.

The latest alert comes after cases linked to an outbreak that started at Newcastle's Argyle House nightclub on Wednesday spiked from 24 to 84 on Monday, with a number of the cases also likely to be the Omicron variant.

Nearly 700 people checked into the venue and Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said it was "incredibly important" that anyone who was at the venue had a test, "given the high transmission at this venue".

From Wednesday, unvaccinated people in NSW will be free to mingle with everyone at pubs, cafes, gyms and shops as a swathe of restrictions are lifted.

Density limits will be scrapped at venues and masks will no longer be mandatory in shops but will be required on public transport and planes as well as for indoors front-of-house unvaccinated hospitality staff.

Check-ins will only be required in high-risk settings like hospitals, pubs, clubs and gyms and singing and dancing will be permitted indoors and outdoors for everyone.

NSW LOCKDOWN ROADMAP: THE RULES FROM DECEMBER 15

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet is calling for calm, saying Omicron "was always going to get here". The following applies to all people, from tomorrow, regardless of vaccination status:

MASKS AND QR CODES

  • Masks will only be required on public transport and planes, at airports, and for indoors front-of-house hospitality staff not fully vaccinated
  • QR check-ins only required for hospitals, aged and disability care facilities, gyms, places of worship, funerals or memorial services, personal services, pubs, small bars, registered clubs, nightclubs, strip clubs, sex on premises, and indoor music festivals with over 1000 people

VISITING FRIENDS AND FAMILY

  • No limit to number of visitors in your home
  • No limit to number of people for outdoor public gatherings.
  • All visitors to residents in aged care facilities and disability homes permitted in line with the location's policies

RESTAURANTS AND HOSPITALITY

  • No person limit in hospitality venues
  • Singing and dancing is permitted indoors and outdoors for all

EXERCISE AND RECREATION

  • No person limit in gyms, indoor recreation and sporting facilities

SHOPPING AND PERSONAL SERVICES

  • Non-critical retail reopens to all.
  • No person limit for personal services including hairdressers, spas, beauty and nail salons, tattoo and massage parlours

WORKING FROM HOME

  • Employers allow staff to work from home at their discretion

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

  • International travellers who are not fully vaccinated still need to quarantine on arrival for 14 days

TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT

  • Travel between Greater Sydney and regional NSW permitted for all
  • Carpooling permitted for all
  • Caravan parks and camping grounds open for all

EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

  • No person limit for major recreation facilities like stadiums, theme parks and race courses
  • No person limit for entertainment facilities like cinemas and theatres
  • No person limit for outdoor public gatherings and recreation
  • Music festivals reopen with 20,000 person limit
  • Amusement centres and play centres open to all
  • No person limit for information and education facilities like art galleries, museums and libraries

WEDDINGS AND RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES

  • Weddings and funerals permitted with no person limit, eating and drinking allowed while standing and dancing permitted for all
  • Singing and dancing indoors permitted by all.
  • Places of worship open to all
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