Wednesday was another record day of COVID-19 cases in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven, with 34 new COVID cases announced.
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Of these, 24 residents live in Wollongong, seven in Shellharbour, two in the Shoalhaven and one case is under investigation in Kiama.
It is understood the Kiama case may be a false positive, and the person is in isolation outside of the region.
Across the state, nine deaths and 1480 cases were recorded. One of the fatalities was a man in his 20s.
Eleven thousand people with COVID are being cared for by NSW Health, 1136 people are in hospital, 194 in ICU and 78 on ventilators.
The plan for regional NSW from September 10 will be announced Thursday morning, including any Local Government Areas to have restrictions eased.
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has made it clear that Shellharbour and Kiama will not be among the LGAs that have restrictions ease.
He said on Wednesday there were "complex issues around the original exposures" to the virus in the Illawarra region.
"Cases in the Illawarra are high, on the Central Coast are high, in Dubbo are high ... vaccination is the only key to leaving lockdown for these areas," he said.
St Therese Catholic Parish Primary School, West Wollongong, closed on Wednesday after contact with a COVID-19 case.
A school spokesperson confirmed a member of the school community has tested positive for COVID-19.
"As a result, the school site will be closed on Wednesday to assist the school and health officials to work through a contact tracing and cleaning response strategy," the spokesperson said.
It is understood the positive case was at the school on Thursday, September 2.
Cringila Public School and St Brigid's Catholic Parish Primary School, Gwyneville, also closed due to COVID earlier this week.
Meadow Street Grocers and Deli Tarrawanna have announced they are currently closed due to a positive COVID case attending the store on Saturday, September 4.
"All staff and customers who are considered a close contact have been contacted and we are currently conducting a deep clean," they posted on social media.
Woolworths Corrimal has sent out an alert and undergone a deep clean after a customer with COVID-19 visited the store on September 2, from 10.55am to 11.05am and August 31, 9.17am to 9.20am, 12.05pm to 12.20pm and 3.35pm to 3.50pm.
Despite local venues reporting exposures, NSW Health has not announced any exposure locations in the region since September 4.
NSW Health will no longer list casual contact venues for Greater Sydney, which includes Wollongong.
On its website, NSW Health said: "In Greater Sydney, casual contact venues will no longer be published.
"Close and casual contact venues in regional NSW will continue to be published. The public will not be alerted to new venues if NSW Health obtain a list of people potentially exposed to the virus through the venue or other records."
Read more: New COVID cases jump to 32 in the Illawarra
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