Man fined for allegedly breaching isolation, travelling to Newcastle

A man has been fined for allegedly breaching self-isolation orders and travelling to Newcastle, the epicentre of the NSW Omicron outbreak.

NSW Police said the 20-year-old was informed he was a close contact of a person with COVID-19.

He was told to stay at home but instead allegedly decided to go out, heading to Argyle House on Wharf Road. He later tested positive for the virus.

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Police said inquiries are continuing.

Newcastle is now the centre of the state's Omicron outbreak, with a superspreader event at the Argyle House making the nightclub one of several transmission venues in the region.

More than 200 COVID-19 cases have already been linked to the nightclub.

Anyone who attended the nightclub between 9pm on Wednesday, December 8 to 3am on December 9 has been deemed a close contact, and must immediately get tested and isolate for seven days.

A person who caught COVID-19 at a boat party on Sydney Harbour, ignored health advice to self-isolate and went to a Newcastle club, which is now linked to hundreds of cases.

The venue posted on social media yesterday to confirm it has closed until further notice as a result of the outbreak.

Almost half of today's record-breaking COVID-19 cases in NSW were reported in the Hunter New England region, which includes Newcastle.

Of the 1742 new cases today, 633 were in the Hunter New England Local Health District.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said yesterday most of the COVID-19 cases in Newcastle appear to be the Omicron variant.

Just 10 people are in hospital in the Hunter region, with three in intensive care.

Testing sites in Newcastle have been swamped by huge queues after thousands of people in the region become casual contacts.

Some people were turned away and asked to come back later after some testing sites in the city reached capacity.