COVID-19 infections are surging in NSW, with 804 new cases while a Newcastle cluster spreads, forcing more people into isolation as the state records 85 cases of the new Omicron variant.
The new daily tally is a jump of 268 on the previous day and the highest since October 2, when Greater Sydney was in the midst of a tough lockdown and 202 people were in intensive care.
The spike in infections comes less than two weeks before Christmas and just a day before unvaccinated people will be allowed back in pubs, cafes, gyms and shops and mask mandates will be eased.
NSW Health remains concerned about the escalation of COVID transmission in the Newcastle area, with venues linked to cases who are likely to have the Omicron variant of concern and further cases of the new strain expected.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said infection numbers had quadrupled in the past month and warned “COVID has not gone away so get the booster shot”.
He insisted the government had considered all the options but was committed to easing restrictions on Wednesday in order to return the state “back to a full life of normality”.
“We’re not about to start backflipping on issues we promised,” he said on Tuesday.
There was also one death in the 24 hours until 8pm on Monday, but a slight drop in the number of people in hospital with the virus, with 168 hospitalised, 21 in ICU and nine ventilated.
However, Mr Hazzard warned “once the unvaccinated are mixing with the vaccinated, the numbers will increase even further”.
“That’s worrying because that puts pressure on our doctors and nurses and our frontline health system,” he said.
He was scathing about people who refused to get vaccinated, saying they were “very vulnerable to what is a rapidly increasing number of COVID cases”.
“It’s not fair to health workers that you can be so selfish to think that being unvaccinated is OK,” he said.
NSW Health is battling to contain several large transmission events, with a focus on Newcastle after two super-spreader events at a nightclub and pub involving the new Omicron variant.
Mr Hazzard acknowledged concern about the emerging hotspot but said the government was “not planning on any snap lockdowns”.
The latest alert was issued on Monday night for anyone who was at Newcastle’s Finnegan’s Hotel between 6.30pm on Friday and 2.30am on Saturday.
Everyone who was there – as well as their household contacts – must get tested and self-isolate for seven days until a negative result is received by everyone in the house.
The warning comes after cases linked to an outbreak at Newcastle’s Argyle House nightclub on Wednesday spiked from 24 to 84 on Monday.
Nearly 700 people checked into the venue on the night of concern and players at the Newcastle Knights rugby league club are isolating after being linked to the nightclub.
A health alert has also been issued for a University of Newcastle medical students’ ball on Friday.
NSW recored 86,562 tests on Monday and 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.
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.
On Wednesday the lockout of unvaccinated people will end as a swathe of COVID 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 such as hospitals, pubs, clubs and gyms and singing and dancing will be permitted indoors and outdoors for everyone.
AAP
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