The total number of cases announced on Saturday, for the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday, eclipsed the previous record of 1542 from a day earlier.

Eight people died in the reporting period.

None of the deceased were vaccinated and they all had underlying health conditions.

Three were aged in their 80s, two in their 70s and one each aged in the 50s, 40s and 30s.

NSW Health's Dr Jeremy McAnulty said there were more than 1100 people hospitalised because of the virus with 221 people in intensive care and 94 requiring ventilation.

There were more than 114,000 tests conducted in the reporting period.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the state had now administered eight million vaccinations, including 114,000 jabs yesterday.

More than 77 per cent of the state's over-16 population has now received their first dose. More than 44 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Of the 10 cases in the Hunter New England Local Health District, five were from Lake Macquarie, four from Newcastle and one from Port Stephens.

Six cases were infectious in the community. Seven were linked to known exposures or family clusters, while three remain under investigation.

HUNTER COVID STORIES

Hunter New England Health has added multiple venues to its list of exposure sites across the region.

The Hunter remains in lockdown, but stay-at-home orders were lifted for the MidCoast local government area overnight.

Saturday's COVID-19 press conference was the second last before they are discontinued.

After revealing 1542 cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the premier announced the daily updates would no longer be held beyond Sunday.

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