New South Wales has recorded 38 new local cases of COVID-19 on Thursday - the largest increase of the latest outbreak.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said during the 1pm update the numbers were particularly worrying as 20 of the new cases had spent time in the community while infectious.
"Eighteen of those [new cases] were people who had been in isolation for the entire time, nine had been in isolation for part of the time, and unfortunately 11 we understand have been infectious for a number of days in the community. Those numbers are too high. We need to get those numbers down."
One case was reported in managed isolation.
Berejiklian said of the locally acquired cases, 26 are linked to a known case of cluster. Thirteen are household contacts, 13 are close contacts and the source of infection for 12 cases remains under investigation.
She said health authorities don't want to extend the lockdown or have to have another so Australian need to "step up as difficult as it is", The Guardian reported.
"You would expect me to be very direct and frank on what we need to focus on and I ask everybody who is under the stay-at-home orders to really respect the rules that are in place, they are therefore a reason."
NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant is urging families to consider getting tested for COVID-19 if one person in their bubble begins to show symptoms.
"It is critical that we get to those households as early as possible so again, make sure even now we are asking if you have symptoms, even consider getting all of your household tested at the same time to reduce the time between sequential notifications."
