The Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) has added another 42 cases of COVID-19 to its total.
However, there is some good news for the Hunter region, only 12 have been reported in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Cessnock.
In the Newcastle LGA, four were found in Jesmond, Maryland, North Lambton and Waratah while Cessnock also discovered four in Cessnock, Kitchener, Neath and Weston.
The Lake Macquarie LGA was not far behind with three infections in Cameron Park.
The remaining cases are in the Mid-Coast (13), Inverell (six), Moree Plains (six), Armidale (four) and Tamworth Regional (two) LGAs.
Twenty-two were infectious in the community and 26 are linked to known exposures or clusters.
Since 5 August the district has recorded 3,851 infections, with 889 still active and 19 people requiring care in hospital, three are in ICU.
Despite there being no cases in these areas, COVID-19 fragments have been detected in Muswellbrook, Dungog, Quirindi, Gunnedah and Uralla sewage treatment plants.
Dr David Durrheim is urging people in these communities to come forward for testing.
“We remind our communities that, while we may be fully vaccinated, infection is still possible and we can still transfer the virus to someone we love, including small children who are ineligible for vaccination, or vulnerable people in our community,” he said.
It comes as NSW reported 195 locally-aquired cases and the death of a man in his 80s.
The individual died at Nepean Hospital and had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Health officials say he had underlying health conditions.
There are currently 224 people admitted to hospital, with 32 in intensive care, 16 of whom require ventilation.
To 11.59pm on Friday 12 November, 94.2% of people people aged 16 and older had received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 91% were fully-vaccinated.
In the 12-to-15-year-old age group 73% are double-dosed.
From Monday, NSW Health will be changing the way it delivers its COVID-19 update.
“With the high vaccination rates in the community, from tomorrow NSW Health will no longer list case locations for regional and rural NSW on the website,” Dr Jeremy McAcnulty said.
“This change has already been made for case locations in Greater Sydney, including the Central Coast, Wollongong and Shell Harbour and the Nepean Blue Mountains.
“We will contine to contact people diagnosed with COVID-19 and their close contacts with relevent health advice and we’ll also continue to support workplaces and other locations where there may be potential outbreaks of COVID-19.
“NSW Health and public health districts will continue to notify the public of venues of concern where there have been high levels of transmission.”
If you need to get tested for COVID-19 there are more than 400 clinics open across NSW.
For a complete list and booking details, visit: health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/clinics.aspx
For our latest COVID-19 news, click here.
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