The three LGAs were released from lockdown less than two weeks ago but Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell said on Sunday that Singleton might have stay-at-home orders re-imposed if cases continue to emerge.

"They're just keeping an eye on it and seeing how it goes," Mr Layzell said.

Of the region's 45 cases, 19 were from the Lake Macquarie local government area, 15 were from Newcastle, five were from Cessnock, four were from Maitland, one was from Singleton and one the Mid-Coast. Twenty-eight people were infectious in the community while 32 cases were linked to known exposures and six remained under investigation.

The number of cases, detected in the 24 hours to 8pm Saturday, were the equal highest the Hunter-New England has recorded. There were 31 cases the day prior, including two in Singleton.

The detection of COVID-19 in sewage in Muswellbrook was "really worrying", Mr Layzell said, given only 34.1 per cent of the local government area's population is vaccinated - the lowest rate of all the LGAs in the Hunter.

The Nationals MP said Singleton, Muswellbrook and Cessnock "were a long way behind" and "we've got a lot of work to do there".

He said supply had not matched demand for vaccinations, but he said there was a "portion of society" that had formed the view of "I'm only going to do it when the opportunity is right".

"That's where the walk-in clinics work and why we need to push a few more walk-in clinics through Cessnock, Singleton and Muswellbrook to capture these groups," he said.

The region's 45 cases were part of 961 across NSW, including 30 on the Central Coast. Nine people died in the period. More than 1000 people are in hospital with the virus, including 222 in intensive care. About 59.2 per cent of the state's eligible population is now fully vaccinated, while 85.2 per cent have received their first dose.

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