There were two fresh COVID-19 cases in NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm Wednesday, according to the latest NSW Health figures released yesterday.
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But these consisted of returned travellers, meaning NSW had no locally-acquired cases of COVID-19 in a 24-hour period for the first time in more than a week.
The number of tests in the period was slightly below that of the previous day - 20,437 down from 20,664. The latest cases take the NSW total to 4854 since the pandemic began.
"It is, on the face of it, very positive that we've had zero cases of local transmission but of course that's entirely dependent on the numbers of cases who come forward," NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.
"We need people to come forward and be tested - that's the weapon we all have."
Mr Hazzard said the government had been in contact with all 10 people who had returned to NSW after staying at Brisbane's Grand Chancellor Hotel since December 30 - after six cases were linked to the facility in recent days.
He said the people who returned to NSW were in isolation.
Meanwhile, the Newcastle Jets posted a reminder online on Thursday that anyone planning to attend Sunday's A-League and W-League double-header against Macarthur FC will not be allowed into McDonald Jones Stadium without a face mask. The Turton Road football ground will have a compulsory mask rule until at least January 31.
Newcastle Airport is also enforcing a statewide rule for NSW airports, introduced this week, which means no entry without a face mask.
Hunter business Meditech Services and 4CYTE Pathology announced on Thursday they had partnered to open a new COVID-19 testing clinic at East Maitland.
Patients will not have to book an appointment and will be bulk-billed.
The clinic opened in the Stockade Hill carpark in Brisbane Street on Thursday and will conduct tests on weekdays between 7.30am and 3.45pm.
A full list of testing clinics across the state is available on the NSW government's website.
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