Currently, 11 COVID-19 patients are being cared for in the region's hospitals, including five in intensive care.

Across the Hunter New England district, 88 people have recovered so far.

It comes as testing for COVID-19 will be ramped up in Lake Macquarie after health authorities named it as a suspected hotspot for local transmission of the disease.

The source of infection has not been identified for three confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the eastern Lake Macquarie region, prompting NSW Health officials to call for increased testing in the area to help "flush out" locally-transmitted cases.

People who live in Valentine, Belmont, Mount Hutton, Windale and Croudace Bay who have a fever or recent onset respiratory symptoms are encouraged to contact their GP, private pathology laboratories, or the COVID-19 clinics at Belmont or John Hunter hospitals for screening.

The Belmont Hospital testing clinic is a drive-through service where people are screened via phone before presenting. For screening, please call 4923 2211 between 8am-4.00pm, seven days a week.

The John Hunter Hospital Clinic is currently operating seven days per week, Monday through Sunday, from 8am to 10.30pm. Signage at the hospital's main entrance will direct people to the nearby screening station.

To date, there have been 5903 tests for COVID-19 in Hunter New England, with 1.85 per cent returning positive.

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