HEALTH authorities confirmed another four cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed within the Tamworth local government area on Friday, as the outbreak continues to grow.
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Hunter New England Health announced there were no new cases within the Gunnedah shire on Friday.
Of Tamworth's new cases, two are from Tamworth, one is from East Tamworth and another resides in Oxley Vale.
Fragments of the virus have been detected in sewage networks within Guyra, Moree, Quirindi despite no known cases in those areas.
The community is reminded to come forward for testing, and vaccinations, with a 'Super Pfizer Walk-up Weekend' for 12 to 15 year olds planned this Saturday.
The clinics will run at Tamworth hospital on Saturday from 9am to 1pm, Armidale Hospital from 9am to 3pm on both Saturday and Sunday and Moree on Saturday from 10am to 12:30pm.
Children aged 15 years and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian aged over 18 years.
It comes as more than 60 fresh cases have reaffirmed the Hunter's position as one of the state's COVID hotspots.
The Hunter New England health district added 61 cases, just two shy of South Western Sydney's 63 and clear of Western Sydney's 40 cases.
There were 25 on the Central Coast.
In the Hunter 29 cases were infectious in the community, with the status of another 10 under investigation.
There are 963 active cases in the region, four in intensive care among 21 in hospital.
Newcastle had 17 cases, with 10 in Lake Macquarie and nine in Midcoast local government area.
Cessnock had seven, Maitland six and four apiece in Port Stephens and Tamworth.
Singleton had three cases, with just one added in Dungog.
The Newcastle cases concentrated only in Mayfield (three) an Wallsend (two). Individual cases were spread across Adamstown, Carrington, Fletcher, Hamilton South, Maryland, Mayfield West, Merewether, Tarro, Tighes Hill, Waratah West, North Lambton and New Lambton.
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Lake Macquarie doubled up only in Belmont North.
Its other cases were spread over Belmont, Bolton Point, Cardiff, Cardiff Heights, Gateshead, Macquarie Hills, Whitebridge and Windale.
In Midcoast, five were from Harrington and four from Taree.
Across NSW there were five deaths and 345 new cases on Friday.
The five deaths were in Sydney hospitals. NSW Health said one person was unvaccinated, two had received a single dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and the remaining two had been double dosed.
The latest numbers follow an overnight tweak to COVID mask rules for gym classes and exercise.
While participants were previously required to wear a mask, they can now remove face coverings while exercising outdoors, in a gym or class, or as part of a dance class.
Masks must be worn when not actively exercising indoors, and remain mandatory for staff not participating in training.
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