Armidale, Tamworth and Northern Rivers had no new cases in Thursday's update.

"Unfortunately the same isn't the case for Hunter and New England," Ms Berejiklian said, citing NSW Health advice on the decision for seven more days in lockdown.

"Given what the area's experience I think the community would understand why [the lockdown extension] is the case."

The formal decision comes a day after Business Hunter called for greater certainty to allow traders to decide how their enterprises would withstand the extension, which was widely expected.

In Hunter New England there were 24 new cases announced in Thursday's update.

14 are from Lake Macquarie, seven from Newcastle, two from Maitland and one from Port Stephens.

In a positive for the region the health service said all cases are linked to cases reported previously, adding few new mysteries for contact tracers to solve.

Six of the Hunter cases were infectious in community.

The Hunter tally includes 12 associated with Edgeworth's Hawkins Masonic aged care centre, as reported by the Newcastle Herald on Wednesday.

Ms Berejiklian said she would take advice from NSW Commissioner Mick Fuller on whether further health orders were required to stop the virus spreading.

"We know it only takes a handful of people doing the wrong thing every day to create major setbacks, she said.

"We're still recovering from gatherings that were illegal, we're still recovering from people doing the wrong thing because that has a cumulative effect day on day."

NSW chief psychiatrist Dr Murray Wright described the lockdowns across the state as the most sustained and severe stress many NSW residents would deal with throughout their lives.

He urged people to assume others were dealing with high stress, to check on loved ones and to seek help through organisations including BeyondBlue if their alcohol intake, sleep or concentration fluctuated.

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"In simple terms what people need is a plan to deal with their stress, to monitor it," he said.

"It's important to monitor things like your diet, like your sleep, like your alcohol intake.

"If things are not working ... you should make it a subject of consideration; what can I do to change how I'm approaching the day, and do I need help?"

Statewide there are 374 cases in hospital. 24 require ventilation, and 62 are in intensive care.

The latest 24-hour case numbers announced Thursday included 345 cases, with at least 60 infectious in the community, and two deaths in NSW.

The two men in their 90s died in Sydney hospitals, including one who became the seventh death associated with the Liverpool Hospital outbreak.

One man had received both doses of Pfizer, while the other had received only the first.

Ms Berejiklian said the front had moved in Sydney to Cumberland local government area, particularly Auburn and Granville.

Bayside, Strathfield and Burwood local government areas have been added to the areas of concern.

152,000 tests were conducted in a "huge record", Ms Berejiklian said.

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