Newcastle health authorities tell residents to avoid Sydney due to spreading coronavirus clusters

Newcastle residents have been urged not to travel to Sydney over fears coronavirus clusters are spreading in parts of the city.

Hunter New England Health says residents should avoid the capital city unless it is "absolutely necessary".

"This virus, if you give it half a chance can spread very, very rapidly," HNE Health Public Health Controller for COVID-19 Dr David Durrheim said in a statement.

READ MORE: Sydney Thai restaurant cluster grows

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Yesterday, a 34-year-old man from the Hunter region returned a positive test while in hotel quarantine in Sydney.

Today, Lord Mayor of Newcastle Nuatali Nelmes echoed the health advice on her Facebook page after NSW recorded 13 new COVID-19 cases.

Ten of the 13 new cases are linked to a growing cluster at the Thai Rock restaurant at Stocklands Mall in Wetherill Park, in Sydney's west.

Four other those are people who ate at the restaurant and six are close contacts, bringing the tally associated with the venue to 26.

NSW Health said the son of the priest at Our Lady of Lebanon church in Harris Park went to the restaurant then attended four services at the cathedral.

You can  get up-to-date information from the Federal Government's Coronavirus Australia app, available on the App Store, Google Play and the Government's WhatsApp channel.

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