THREE people have died in Hunter New England health district with COVID-19 as the region's cases again rose by more than 2000.
The health district confirmed all three were aged in their 80s and from Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Midcoast council areas.
Overall the region's hospitalisations dropped in Good Friday's announcement, falling to 71 from Thursday's 86.
There was only one person in intensive care, down from two the day before.
The Hunter casualties are among 16 deaths with COVID-19 across NSW, eight women and eight men.
NSW Health said two people were aged in their 60s, two people were aged in their 70s, seven people were aged in their 80s, and five people were aged in their 90s.
Health authorities say older age is a significant risk factor for serious illness and death for COVID-19, particularly when combined with significant underlying health conditions.
They said one person had received four doses of vaccine, eight people had three doses, five had received two and two of the 16 were unvaccinated.
Hunter New England had 2096 cases in the 24 hours to 4pm on Thursday, the highest of any health district statewide. The next highest, Northern Sydney, did not crack 2000 cases over the same period.
The state has 1485 COVID-19 cases in hospital and 69 people in intensive care. Of those, 19 require ventilators.
A weekly data overview showed hospital admissions in NSW remained mostly stable at an average of 150 admissions a day, up slightly on 147 admissions from the previous week.
The intensive care average has not moved, remaining at 10 per week.
