THE situation at Bathurst Correctional Centre in NSW's Central West is growing more serious, with an additional two COVID-19 cases confirmed by Correctives Services NSW.
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The two new cases take the total cases in staff at the Bathurst facility to eight after six infections were confirmed late Sunday.
All the cases are now in isolation.
COVID-19 cases have also been detected in two Hunter Valley prisons from an outbreak that started in Parklea in Sydney. The Parklea prison has recorded 31 cases.
Corrective Services NSW turned to rapid antigen testing on Monday in an effort to detect any further cases of COVID-19.
"Corrective Services NSW and Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network have deployed rapid antigen testing at Bathurst Correctional Centre this morning to enable additional screening of staff and inmates," a spokeswoman said.
The two new cases are expected to be formally reported in tomorrow's figures.
On Sunday, a Corrective Services NSW spokesperson said Corrective Services' COVID command post worked with NSW Health to support the contact tracing process in custodial facilities to identify anyone who has had contact with the positive cases.
"Impacted staff are being directed to go for immediate COVID-19 testing and to isolate," they said.
"Impacted inmates are being isolated and tested until further advice. We continue to follow the expert advice of NSW Health and Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network in our decision-making processes."
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Deputy premier John Barilaro said he wasn't sure how many, or if any, of the staff had been in the community while infectious, but nevertheless was worried about the potential impact on the wider Bathurst community.
"Whenever there are cases in a community, it always concerns us that you're not able to contain it. Bathurst over the last week, we've been reporting cases in Bathurst quite consistently ... so there is an issue," he said.
No information has been provided about the source of the COVID cases in corrections staff.
The news of the positive cases comes weeks after two COVID-positive inmates passed through the facility earlier this month.
The jail was placed in a precautionary lockdown on August 11 after authorities confirmed an inmate that had arrived on Saturday, August 7 and been released on bail on Monday, August 9 had returned a positive test.
A second newly-arrived inmate was confirmed as COVID-positive on August 13 following testing as part of jail protocols.
The jail remains under a strict lockdown, with no movements in or out permitted.
