COVID case numbers in Newcastle and the Hunter: Three new cases and too many unknowns

"We do not know if other chains of transmission may have been missed," Hunter New England Health public health physician Dr David Durrheim said on Monday.

The three new cases include one from Cessnock and two from Lake Macquarie, with the source of two of those cases still unknown. Both the Cessnock case and a patient from Whitebridge were infectious in the community, while investigations are ongoing to determine whether the Edgeworth case was isolated or not.

It follows seven fresh cases reported on Sunday, spread across suburbs including Birmingham Gardens and Adamstown Heights, Thornton, Raymond Terrace and Cessnock, six of which people were infectious while in the community.

Dr Durrheim said that it was vital the "old-fashioned" methods like social distancing were observed, and that people came forward for testing for even the mildest symptoms.

"Over the weekend what is concerning is the number of cases that we know were infectious in the community," Dr David Durrheim said.

"We don't know if we were exposed to people who may have been infectious, we don't know if there are other chains of transmission. None of us want to be the source of ongoing transmission in the community."

Vaccination is key, the Premier insisted again on Monday, along with NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant and Deputy Premier John Barilaro, who admitted the State Government could do better to ensure people who were willing to get vaccinated had easy access to one.

In areas with low vaccination rates, including the Upper Hunter, more should be done to ensure availability, Mr Barilaro told regional journalists on Monday. "We have got to do that better," he said. "I know ... in the Upper Hunter the vaccinations are quite low but is it reluctance or availability? We need to look into what is going on in that area."

Mr Barilaro said he would also look into how regionally-based teachers would be given the opportunity to become vaccinated in time for a return to face-to-face teaching now planned in stages between October 25 and November 8.

The Hunter's list of exposure sites continues to grow, now including a pre-school/day care centre in Waratah, which was closed for deep cleaning. Hunter New England Health advised that all casual and close contacts associated with the preschool had been advised. Cessnock prison is also locked down after several inmates at Parklea tested positive.

Cases in other regions continued to rise with the state creeping closer to 1300 new cases, as Deputy Premier John Barilaro warned things were likely to get worse before they get better.

"We expect September to be a tough month with rising numbers," Mr Barilaro said. That was due in part to the fact that the protection offered by vaccinations for many people would not kick in until late September. "I think the worst is still to come," he said.

He echoed NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian's comments earlier in the day, when she made specific reference to the growing pressures on the state's healthcare service. "We anticipate that the worst month for our intensive care will be October," she said. "Every day that we get closer to meeting those vaccination targets means that the pressure on our hospital system and ICU will decrease, which is what we need."

While there was stabilisation across parts of regional and rural NSW, Western NSW continued to be the exception, with the outbreak in that area continuing to pose concerns.

Four people died across NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm Sunday - three people in Sydney, and a man in his 50s from Dubbo, who had "significant underlying health issues".

Ms Berejiklian said that "life will be much better at 70 per cent if you're vaccinated", but noted the main reason to receive the vaccination was to avoid severe symptoms that could require hospitalisation. "The most important numbers we look at at the moment are how many of those case numbers require hospitalisation and how many need intensive care." Ms Berejiklian said that while the health system was under strain, there was capacity across it broadly as a network.

Asked whether children returning to classrooms in October was feasible given that predicted hospital pressure, Ms Berejiklian said that hospitalisation rates don't necessarily correlate with transmission. "The rate of hospitalisation, the rate of people going into intensive care, goes down every time the vaccination rate goes up," she said.

IN THE NEWS:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: