HUNTER New England COVID cases continue to rack up faster than anywhere else in the state despite an Easter long weekend dip in positive test results in Sunday's update.
Three people have died with COVID-19 in Hunter New England health district over the past two daily updates days as the virus keeps its firm grip on the region.
On Sunday health authorities confirmed the death of two men in the district, one in his 90s from Uralla and another in his 70s from the Great Lakes area.
They were among six people to die with the virus across the state in the most recent 24-hour period. They included two people were aged in their 70s, two in their 80s and two in their 90s.
It followed the death of a woman in her 90s from Maitland reported on Saturday, who was one of 18 people who died in the day to 4pm on Good Friday.
Hunter hospitalisations jumped from 64 to 71 in Sunday's update, with an additional person taking the health district's count in intensive care up to three.
The region added 1329 confirmed cases on Sunday, the lowest tally in several days as numbers across the state dipped. Despite the fall, the Hunter maintained the unwanted trend of delivering the highest number of new infections in the state.
In Saturday's figures the region racked up 2048 new infections, hundreds ahead of any other area.
Across NSW there were 1527 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital at 4pm on Saturday, including 64 people in intensive care. Of those, 18 needed ventilators.
NSW Health urges people to use masks indoors when physical distancing is not possible, book in for booster vaccines, get tested and isolate immediately with any symptoms and to wash your hands regularly.
