As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across the state the Hunter is not in the clear yet after seven new cases were recorded in the region.
Hunter New England Health confirmed three infections were in Newcastle, two were in Lake Macquarie and the final cases were from the Cessnock LGA.
Three of the new detections were infectious in the community and all are linked to an existing case. One is linked to the Costco exposure incident.
Two cases are in Jesmond, one is in Islington, two in Branxton and two are in Edgeworth. 33 people are currently being cared for in hospital, zero are in ICU.
All up 161 cases have been reported in the district.
It comes as NSW detected 830 infections and three more deaths.
The deaths were of a man in his 60s, a man in his 70s and a woman in her 80s, none of them fully vaccinated but two of them had one vaccine dose. The fatalities take the toll for the current outbreak to 71.
Fifty cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of 694 cases remains under investigation.
All of NSW is currently in lockdown and police have ramped up enforcement of restrictions as authorities battle to contain the spread of the Delta strain.
Lockdown settings will remain in place in regional NSW until at least 28 August and in Greater Sydney until at least 30 September.
Meanwhile, police have been working hard to ensure that everyone is following the public health order.
A $5,000 fine was handed down to a Lake Macquarie woman after she broke her isolation requirements.
“One of those locations at Lake Macquarie there were meant to be four people at that premise and there were only three that came forward and presented to police,” NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said.
The missing person was later found at an address at Kurri Kurri and was directed to return back to her residence.
“People need to understand that if you are under one of these orders or directions you need to stay put and do what is asked of you,” Commissioner Worboys added.
Anyone with even the mildest of symptoms is urged to get tested.
There are more than 410 testing clinics open across NSW. For a complete list and booking details, please visit:Â health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/clinics.aspx
-Elizabeth Symington with AAP
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