THREE fresh Hunter COVID cases have been recorded as NSW inched close to 1300 cases in the latest daily update.
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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said there were 1290 cases in the community, with 80 per cent of those in southwestern Sydney, and warned that October loomed as the peak of pressure on the state's hospitals.
Beyond Sydney, though, she said there were promising signs.
"There's stabilisaton across regional and rural NSW," she said.
Western NSW was the exception to regional NSW's performance, Ms Berejiklian said, with the outbreak in that area continuing to pose concerns.
Nine cases were recorded in the far west - seven in Wilcannia and two in Broken Hill.
Two of the Hunter cases fall within Lake Macquarie local government area, with the third in Cessnock's.
Both the Cessnock case and a patient from Whitebridge were infectious in the community, while investigations are ongoing on whether the Edgeworth case was isolated or not.
In the Hunter seven people are in hospital, with one requiring intensive care.
Hunter New England Health public health physician Dr David Durrheim said that it was vital the "old-fashioned" methods like social distancing were observed, and that testing was sought for even the mildest symptoms.
"Over the weekend what is concerning is the number of cases that we know were infectious in the community," Dr David Durrheim said.
"We don't know if we were exposed to people who may have been infectious, we don't know if there are other chains of transmission.
"None of us want to be the source of ongoing transmission in the community."
Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said "no-one can assume they're in an area that doesn't have COVID cases".
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Four people died across NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm Sunday, including a man in his 50s from Dubbo.
A man in 70s died at Westmead, while a man in his 70s from the inner west died at Concord Hospital after acquiring his infection in aged care.
A woman in her 60s also died at Westmead.
Dr Chant did not immediately specify their vaccination status, but noted the Dubbo man and man in his 70s who died at Westmead had "significant underlying health issues".
Ms Berejiklian said that "life will be much better at 70 per cent if you're vaccinated", but noted the main reason to receive the vaccination was to avoid severe symptoms that could require hospitalisation.
"We anticipate that the worst month for our intensive care will be October," she said.
"Every day that we get closer to meeting those vaccination targets means that the pressure on our hospital system and ICU will decrease, which is what we need.
"The most important numbers we look at at the moment are how many of those case numbers require hospitalisation and how many need intensive care."
Ms Berejiklian said that while the health system was under strain, there was capacity across it broadly as a network.
Asked whether children returning to classrooms in October was feasible given that predicted hospital pressure, Ms Berejiklian said that hospitalisation rates don't necessarily correlate with transmission.
"The rate of hospitalisation, the rate of people going into intensive care, goes down every time the vaccination rate goes up," she said.
"The vaccination is the best armour we have in protecting people against COVID and for living a normal life.
"If you're not vaccinated, don't expect freedoms at 70 per cent."
The Monday update is a welcome sign for the Hunter after numbers rose faster on the weekend.
Cases in the Hunter New England health district grew by seven in Sunday's update, spread across suburbs including Birmingham Gardens and Adamstown Heights, Thornton, Raymond Terrace and Cessnock.
The Hunter's list of exposure sites grew on Sunday to include restaurants, a bakery and a daycare centre.
Cessnock prison is also locked down after several inmates at Parklea tested positive.
"Vaccination will be the key and we are certainly looking at opportunities to ramp up vaccinations as well as public health responses," she said.
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