COVID-19 cluster in rural NSW sees large spike

A further 15 COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the Moree Plains Shire in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

The New South Wales border region has been locked out of the Queensland travel bubble overnight after cases linked to the Moree cluster were found in Goondiwindi yesterday.

New England MP and Minister for Western NSW Adam Marshall confirmed the new cases to NBN as the state recorded 249 new cases and three further deaths.

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The new leap increases the total number of cases in the cluster to 54.

There are currently 285 people in NSW hospitals with the virus, 61 of those in intensive care.

Earlier, Goondiwindi mayor Lawrence Springborg told Today he backed the move to exclude the NSW town of Moree from the Queensland border bubble.

"Unfortunately, this does impact significantly on many people in our cross-border community," he told Today.

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"We're wanting to make sure that that can be avoided, particularly with what is a very, very good harvest."

Moree residents are now only allowed to travel to Queensland in exceptional circumstances.