THE Hunter's COVID cases have hit a new high, with 93 added to the tally in Wednesday's update.
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Newcastle and Lake Macquarie added a combined 53 cases to that tally, trailing only South Western Sydney and Western Sydney health districts for daily cases.
"When it comes to COVID-19 We don't like records," Hunter New England Health public health physician Dr David Durrheim said.
"We can expect case numbers to keep going up, and particularly as we hear about living with the virus and relaxation of public health measures, case numbers will go up."
Dr Durrheim said living with the virus during summer meant getting tested immediately for any cold or flu symptoms.
"If you get symptoms at this time of the year, it's likely to be coronavirus," he said.
Double vaccination was also crucial as we learn to live with the virus in the coming weeks, Dr Durrheim said.
"I for one would not want to be anywhere near the virus if I was not fully vaccinated," he said.
"Our immune systems respond beautifully to the vaccine, and that is our best measure against COVID once it begins to start spreading through the community."
Wallsend added nine cases and Merewether had seven among the 27 in Newcastle.
Jesmond, Hamilton and Newcastle had two each while Mayfield, Shortland, Hamilton South, Tighes Hill and Stockton all recorded cases.
Lake Macquarie's 26 cases were spread more widely, with Gateshead's four cases the highest tally for a suburb.
Swansea had three while Toronto, Morisset, Belmont, Cooranbong and Blacksmiths all recorded a pair. Mount Hutton, Charlestown, Cardiff, Wyee, Cameron Park, Dudley, Belmont North, Speers Point and Marks Point also added cases.
Cessnock itself had nine cases alongside two in Kurri Kurri and one each in Kurri Kurri, Neath, Bishops Bridge, Elrington, Greta, Kearsley and Pelaw Main.
Woodberry remains a concern for Maitland, with five new cases. There were also three in both Rutherford and East Maitland, with individual cases for Metford, Thornton and Maitland.
Tanilba Bay and Raymond Terrace each had two cases while Singleton Heights and Muswellbrook accrued a case each.
Nabiac had two cases, with one in Tamworth.
The Central Coast added 30 new cases.
Across NSW, 88.6 per cent of people aged 16 have received a first dose and 67.7 per cent had been fully vaccinated by midnight on Monday.
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Hunter New England Health said that 54 of the region's cases were infectious in the community, and 67 cases were linked.
The health district now has 922 active cases, with 23 in hospital and two requiring intensive care.
NSW recorded 594 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday evening.
Ten people, seven men and three women, died during the same period.
NSW Health said one person was in their 40s, one in their 60s, four were in their 70s, two were in their 80s and another two in their 90s.
"Five people were from south western Sydney, three people were from western Sydney, one person was from Wollongong and one person was from the Edward River region," the health service said.
"Three people were not vaccinated, four people had received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and three people had received two doses."
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