The Hunter has just missed out on registering its fourth consecutive day without a new coronavirus case.
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NSW Health reported on Friday that the Hunter New England Health District had registered one new positive test in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday, bringing the total to 271 since the pandemic began.
The district had gone three days without a new case.
The rapid slowing of the virus in Hunter New England is evident in running totals over the past month.
On March 21, the number of confirmed cases was 26.
This rose five-fold over the subsequent week to 142, which then almost doubled to 241 by April 3.
But the case count crept up to just 265 by April 10 and now sits at 271, albeit with a readjustment this week of six cases which turned out to be negative.
Three Hunter people, aged 69, 74 and 76, have died from COVID-19 complications, but only one person is now being treated in intensive care.
HNEH is now targeting people in the Upper Hunter for more testing as it tries to gain an accurate picture of COVID-19 across the district.
It is calling on Upper Hunter residents with fever or a recent onset of respiratory symptoms, including a cough or sore throat, to contact their doctor or attend the free COVID-19 clinics at Muswellbrook and Scone hospitals.
"If we don't look, we won't find the virus," HNEH public health physician Dr David Durrheim said.
"We want to make sure the Hunter Valley is virus-free."
Dr Durrheim said Scone and Muswellbrook had low levels of testing to date.
"We don't expect to find big numbers of cases, or indeed many at all, but it's important we know for sure.
"We will only be able to confirm that there is no issue if we increase testing.
"We are looking for people who live in Scone, Muswellbrook or surrounding communities and have experienced fever or the recent onset of respiratory symptoms, including a cough, shortness of breath or a sore throat.
"If you have recently travelled internationally, or on a cruise ship, or been in touch with a person confirmed to have COVID-19, we also want to hear from you."
Scone Hospital is operating a drive-through COVID-19 clinic from 1.30 to 3.30pm on weekdays.
Muswellbrook Hospital is operating a COVID-19 clinic from 1.30 to 3.30pm seven days a week.
The NSW case total climbed by 29 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday, including 14 at the Anglicare Newmarch House aged care facility in Caddens, on the outskirts of western Sydney.
A seven-week-old baby boy was confirmed as a COVID-19 case and is a family contact of known cases.
The baby, who has only mild symptoms, was taken to a hospital in south-western Sydney for a precautionary assessment but was not admitted.
Four more crew members on the Ruby Princess returned positive tests, taking the cruise ship's crew toll to 166, including 13 who are in hospital and 153 still on board.
Victoria recorded just one new case, and the national toll climbed by 21 in the 24 hours to 3pm on Thursday.