UPDATE:
Glen Innes will go into lockdown from 6pm Friday, following a COVID-19 case this week.
The seven-day lockdown was announced early Friday afternoon.
Two people from the same family in Glen Innes were tested for COVID-19. One who returned a positive result had been active in the community during their infectious period on September 14 and 15.
Contact tracing has been completed into the movements of the person who first tested positive on Wednesday night, and three contact venues have been listed.
The exposure sites are all from Tuesday and are: Kent Engineering and Mechanical from 9am to 9.10am; National Australia Bank from 10.25am to 10.35am; and Pathology New England from 9.45am to 10.15am.
Around 15 casual contacts have been identified by NSW Health. They are all being tested and are in isolation.
The person who returned the positive case had been in Sydney for essential work. They are now isolating at home.
In a social media post on Friday, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall said he had been advised by both the health minister and the NSW chief health officer of the lockdown.
"I realise this was not the news many of you were wanting to hear, especially small business owners, and I fully appreciate the stress and strain this will place on you," Mr Marshall said on social media on Friday.
"However, in response to the COVID case and the fact that the individual had been active in the community while infectious, the NSW Chief Health Officer convened an independent panel of medical experts to review all the information relevant to the case in Glen Innes.
"That panel determined and strongly recommended that a 7-day lockdown be imposed to protect the community and safeguard against further spread of COVID in Glen Innes, especially given the COVID-positive individual was active in the local community (and outside the community) for three days while infectious.
"As announced at the time lockdowns were lifted across our region recently, if a case appeared which was active in the community, that LGA would be placed into a 14-day lockdown. Only 7 days has been recommended and agreed for the Glen Innes LGA based on the level of risk posed to the community," he said.
EARLIER:
A CASE of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Glen Innes, but there's still no word on whether the local government area (LGA) will be plunged into lockdown.
In Glen Innes, the person was active in the community during their infectious period, on September 14 and 15 and contact tracers are in the process of determining their movements.
Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall said a decision on lockdown will not be made until after health officials determine how much of a risk the person was to the broader community.
"Contact tracing teams have been interviewing the individual to determine their movements and all close contacts and any close contact venues," he said.
"At this stage, this will not result in the Glen Innes Severn LGA going back into lockdown.
"A decision about this will be made after the contract tracing work has been finalised, to determine the level of risk to the broader community."
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said at a press conference on Thursday morning that the Lismore and Albury LGAs would be going back into lockdown, but Glen Innes was not mentioned.
Deputy Prime Minister John Barilaro said further advice could be delivered later on Thursday afternoon regarding whether the Glen Innes region will be put into lockdown.
Mr Marshall is urging the community to stay safe until more information can be provided.
There are also concerns about the Inverell community after traces of the virus were found in its sewage. However, no cases have been identified in the region.
On Wednesday, Glen Innes mayor Carol Sparks and deputy mayor Dianne Newman urged the community to get tested for, and vaccinated against, COVID-19 after fragments were detected in the town's sewage.
There were 1351 new COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths across the state in the 24 hours leading up to 8pm on Wednesday.
There were 27 cases identified in the Western NSW Health District, while two were found in the Far West Health District. There were 16 across the Hunter-New England Health District.
