Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: NSW records major spike with more than 20,000 new cases

NSW has recorded a massive spike in local Covid-19 infections with numbers almost doubling to 20,402 cases on Wednesday.

The state is currently seeing a surge in cases as the Omicron BA. 2 variant, which is believed to be more transmissible, continues to spread.

NSW Health revealed the massive number of cases came from 12,748 RAT tests and 7654 PCR results.

However, the state's official data for Wednesday will show 30,402 new cases after an additional 10,000 RAT results were included.

NSW has recorded a massive spike in local Covid-19 infections with record numbers almost doubling to 20,402 cases on Wednesday. Photo / NCA NewsWire

The further 10,000 cases were left out of Sunday and Monday's results due to a data processing issue.

"These positive RATs from Sunday and Monday artificially inflate the cases being reported for the 24 hours to 4pm Tuesday," NSW Health said in a statement.

"The data processing issue, which has now been resolved, is only affected reporting of cases. All of these cases were still connected to clinical care as per normal processes with positive Covid-19 results."

Case numbers have doubled in just 24 hours after NSW recorded 10,689 infections on Tuesday.

Last week Health Minister Brad Hazzard revealed cases were expected to spike as a result of BA. 2.

New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard looks at NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet. Photo / Getty Images

Across the world, many countries have experienced a surge in cases due to BA. 2, with the Statens Serum Institut issuing a warning about two weeks ago.

"BA. 2 is gaining ground in many places worldwide," the Danish research institute said.