From 8 pm yesterday, 12 new cases of COVID-19 have been detected in Northern NSW.
Nine cases have been identified in the Grafton area, included in the Clarence Valley Local Government Area.
Of these cases, five are households linked to a previous identified case included in a cluster.
The source of the other four cases remains under investigation.
Three cases have been identified in the Ballina LGA; all are under investigation.
For the moment, it seems that these three cases have been infectious in the community, according to the Northern NSW Local Health District.
One of the Ballina cases is from Ballina Coast High School, forcing the school to close and students and staff to self-isolate until further notice.
In the region, four cases are hospitalised, with one in intensive care.
Contact tracing is currently being investigated to determine further venues of concern.
The Northern NSW Local Health District also announced the opening of a new COVID-19 testing clinic tomorrow, October 14, at Laverty Pathology, Vere Street, in Grafton.
Two COVID-19 testing centres are already open in Grafton, along with three in Ballina, one in Alstonville and two in Lennox Head.
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