13 New Cases Added To Outbreak In Hunter Region

The Hunter region has recorded 13 new COVID cases on another dark day for the current New South Wales outbreak.

Two aged care centres in the Hunter region are on high alert after COVID-positive people visited the facilities.

Out of the new cases reported, 10 were in Newcastle, and three were in the Lake Macquarie LGA.

Hunter New England Health said the two cases worked at Masonic Village, Edgeworth and Hammond Care, Waratah, while infectious, but no staff or resident cases have been confirmed.

Of the news cases reported since yesterday, 10 are linked to previous cases and three remain under investigation.

Twelve of the new cases were active in the community while infectious.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said today that the government would take advice from Chief Health Officer before deciding if Hunter's lockdown will be extended.

"We'll rely on Dr [Kerry] Chant's advice on that," Ms Berejiklian said.

Dr Chant has urged people to check the exposure list on the NSW Health website.

"There are a number of exposure venues that have been placed on the website for Newcastle," she said.

"And again, thank you to the Newcastle community for coming out for testing in such high numbers."

Two Hunter primary schools were forced to be closed for deep cleaning after positive cases were linked to the schools.

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