DAILY COVID-19 case numbers recorded a drop in the Hunter New England region on Wednesday, offering a silver lining as the city continues to hunker down ahead of Christmas.
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Wednesday's figures showed just over 16 per cent of the state's 3763 new cases were found in the health district. There were 623 infections recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday, a decrease from a record high of 820 the previous day.
Hunter New England Health said on Wednesday morning there were 5728 total active cases in the region, with 11 people in hospital and one patient in intensive care almost two weeks after the super-spreading event linked to Wharf Road's Argyle House night spot.
The highest proportion of new cases came from South-Eastern Sydney health district, where 834 infections emerged.
The Newcastle local government area had the highest number of the region's cases (226), followed by Lake Macquarie LGA (208), Maitland LGA (97), Port Stephens LGA (33), Cessnock LGA (20) and Mid Coast LGA (18).
Information on the suburbs where the cases were detected is no longer made public.
The Tamworth region recorded seven new cases, while Singleton LGA had five, Muswellbrook and Moree Plains LGAs had two each and Dungog, Narrabri, Glen Innes, Gunnedah and Liverpool Plains recorded one each.
"We urge anyone who is yet to receive their vaccination to do so and book in for a booster if eligible," Hunter New England Health public health controller Dr David Durrheim said.
"We continue to remind everyone to continue to practise COVID-safe behaviours, including wearing a mask in settings where you cannot physically distance."