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NSW could be recording 25,000 COVID-19 cases a day by the end of next month, Health Minister Brad Hazzard has warned, after a dramatic escalation in the number of new infections.

Some 1360 new cases were detected in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday, an increase of 556 on the 804 the previous day.

Infections have more than quadrupled in a week and it is the first time in months the state has recorded more than one thousand new cases in a single day.

Health authorities believe the Omicron variant is causing the rapid surge in cases.

On Wednesday, restrictions on eight southern African countries were eased, bringing all arrivals from overseas under the same rules.

Arrivals who had been in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini and Malawi had previously been placed in quarantine for a fortnight.

With Omicron cases coming in from other countries as well as transmission occurring in the community, Australia's chief medical officer Paul Kelly says "international border bans are no longer a proportionate or effective means to contain the spread of Omicron".

Fully vaccinated international arrivals into NSW have to isolate for 72 hours, avoid high risk settings until after day seven and have a PCR test in the first 24 hours and on day six after arrival.

While only 110 cases have been officially confirmed, due to testing limitations, data indicates Omicron cases are rising in Sydney and the variant has "predominance" in Newcastle.

The Hunter region remains the biggest headache for authorities, with the district accounting for about one-third of new cases on Tuesday thanks to super-spreader events in Newcastle.

Mr Hazzard said cases in NSW are bound to surge further, with experts warning the "concerning" reproduction rate of the variant could climb above 1.5.

"What they're telling us is that by the end of January, we could be looking at 25,000 cases of the virus every single day," he said on Wednesday.

While it seems the new variant is more transmissible but causes less severe illness, Mr Hazzard said those number should compel people to get their vaccine boosters as soon as they are eligible.

Many are heeding that message, with 9000 booster doses handed out across the state on Tuesday.

Researchers from UNSW's Kirby Institute on Wednesday also stressed the importance of booster shots.

While two doses of any vaccines had little to no effect on the transmissibility of the Omicron variant, protections against severe disease - particularly with a booster shot - remained.

The explosion in NSW cases coincides with an easing of restrictions, with unvaccinated people now allowed to mingle with the fully jabbed at shops and hospitality venues for the first time in three months.

QR code check-ins have also been scaled back and masks are only required in high-risk settings such as public transport and planes.

There are no limits on visitors to homes, hospitality venues, or outdoor gatherings.

But while masks are no longer required, Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant says her "clear advice" is for people in indoor settings to keep wearing them.

Premier Dominic Perrottet defended the decision to ease restrictions as planned, and urged people not to focus on rising case numbers but rather ICU presentations and hospitalisations.

The last time NSW had a higher daily infection caseload was on September 11, when 1599 new cases were detected.

But the number of hospitalisations and deaths in NSW are a fraction of what they were then.

There was one death on Tuesday, while 166 people are in hospital with the virus, including 24 in intensive care and seven ventilated.

While hospitalisations generally lag infection spikes, Mr Perrottet has "complete confidence" the hospital system will cope thanks to the state's 93 per cent vaccination coverage.

He rejected suggestions his government was sending confusing messages by warning cases could climb and urging caution, while at the same time easing restrictions and encouraging people to "enjoy the best that NSW has to offer".

"It is all about instilling confidence and ensuring everyone has a safe Christmas," he said.

© AAP 2021

South Australia has reported 25 new COVID-19 cases, its highest daily figure for more than 18 months, amid concerns over delays in naming exposure sites.

Premier Steven Marshall revealed the new cases on Wednesday, the highest daily number since April last year and more than double the number of new infections from the previous day.

Mr Marshall said with the state entering the suppression phase of the disease, new infections could be expected every day.

"We've been pretty open and transparent about the way that we moved from the elimination strategy to the suppression strategy," he said.

"If you go back two months, we didn't want to have a single case of community transmission.

"We're at suppression now. We're going to have cases every day going forward. But it is still important we don't let it just run through our state."

The premier also reported there had been no positive cases detected in the state's Indigenous APY lands despite earlier concerns when COVID-19 was found in wastewater sampling.

SA Health said the new infections on Wednesday included 17 people who were fully vaccinated, three who were unvaccinated and five people whose vaccination status was unknown.

The new cases took the number of active infections to 92.

Mr Marshall said he remained convinced the government had done everything possible to be prepared for the rise in coronavirus cases.

However, the Labor opposition questioned the ability of contact tracers to keep up after new Adelaide exposure sites were revealed on Tuesday night, 10 days after the exposure occurred.

That meant some affected people were already beyond their one-week quarantine requirement.

"When there's repeated reports of contact tracing delays, at the same time as the government is trying to hire more staff, it shows the systems were not prepared," Opposition Health Spokesman Chris Picton said.

Mr Marshall said the release of the exposure sites remained the public health protocol, even if they were identified late, and there was still a requirement on people to get tested.

SA currently has multiple exposure sites with about 1400 people in quarantine.

But the state has reduced the quarantine period for returned international travellers from 14 to seven days.

At the same time, it will maintain testing rules for travellers, including the extra "speed bumps" for people from NSW, Victoria and the ACT, who must have a test before arriving and another on arrival.

Wednesday's infection spike also came amid a scare for 22 Adelaide nursing homes after it was confirmed two health workers who visited the sites had tested positive.

UnitingSA said three of its centres - at West Lakes, Seaton and Grange - were involved, with both West Lakes and Seaton closed to visitors.

Double-vaccinated visitors are still allowed at the Grange centre.

The organisation said an infected person came into contact with a very limited number of staff and residents.

"UnitingSA is pleased to advise that all residents who came into contact with the medical practitioner have returned negative test results as part of the initial round of testing," it said in a statement.

© AAP 2021

Enabling people to spot the insidious signs of domestic violence and advising how to intervene are the goals of a new app launched in Queensland.

The 'Be there' app contains tools to recognise different forms of abuse including coercive control and "navigate a safe way to support someone without making the situation worse".

"It's all about putting the power back into the hands of family, friends and neighbours (and) how to recognise the signs of a violent or controlling relationship," Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman said.

The app is the result of a partnership between the state government, Griffith University's MATE Bystander program and Telstra.

"We know that as we approach Christmas and summer holidays, it can be a really dangerous time for some families," she said, reminding residents that support services are available throughout the period.

The family of Kelly Wilkinson, who was allegedly murdered in a horrific attack on the Gold Coast in April, attended the app's launch on Wednesday.

Had it existed a year ago, Kelly's sister Danielle Carroll and her husband Rhys said things would have been "totally different".

"In our situation we didn't ... consider it to be as bad as what it was because we weren't seeing people getting physically abused," Rhys said.

"To have that sort of information there in the in the app, to show you that what you're saying is actually really dangerous and needs to be addressed ... it's just a priceless tool."

Director of the MATE Bystander program Shaan Ross-Smith said the app was about empowering people to be there for others.

"MATE already delivers person-to-person training, online webinars and other modules, and the Be there app is another way to empower us to challenge a conversation, behaviour, or a sense that something isn't OK, before it's too late," Ms Ross-Smith said.

The launch follows the release of an extensive report examining domestic violence in Queensland by the state's Women's Safety and Justice Taskforce.

Among its 89 recommendations were the staged introduction of coercive control as an offence and a fresh inquiry into Queensland Police culture.

Ms Fentiman said the government would respond to the report next year.

The app is available in the Apple and Android stores.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

Lifeline 13 11 14

© AAP 2021