The Illawarra-Shoalhaven Local Health District recorded another 26 COVID-19 cases, slightly down from the 28 recorded the day before.
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They are among the 1360 new cases recorded in NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm last night - a dramatic leap from 804 the previous day, which was the highest recorded in months.
Nineteen of these cases in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District are among Wollongong residents, five in the Shoalhaven, one in Shellharbour and one in Kiama.
Eight cases live in the 2500 postcode, three in the 2519 postcode, two each in 2517 and 2525, and one each in 2508, 2515, 2518 and 2530 and 2529.
A total of 110 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant of concern have been confirmed in NSW, with this number expected to rise in coming days as the results of genomic testing come in.
Despite the surge in case numbers, NSW Premier Dominic Perrotte yesterday announced residents will no longer be forced to self-isolate after being a close contact of a COVID-19 case.
He said close contacts would be redefined as household contacts or those who have spent a significant time in the house.
Those considered close contacts under the narrowed rules will have to isolate for seven days and have two COVID-19 tests.
But others who would in the past have to stay locked away will only have to provide one negative test result to be able to attend holiday festivities.
That includes friends and family you caught up with and patrons or customers seated nearby who later test positive to COVID-19.
"A small change in relation to close contacts and the definition around that, that will be mainly focused in respect of households, so if you're deemed to be a household contact, a close contact will be a member from your household," Mr Perrottet said.
Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said residents would now have to reach 'a pretty high bar' to be considered a close contact and strongly recommended people to continue wearing masks indoors.
'My clear advice is that in indoor settings people should be wearing masks, I feel personally it does reduce the risk and gives a lot of people comfort as they move around,' she said.
