THE Hunter has added 69 fresh cases of COVID in Friday's figures.
NSW officials did not hold the traditional 11am press conference, instead leaving it to health authorities to release the numbers.
Cases rose by 23 in Lake Macquarie, 20 in Newcastle, nine in Maitland, eight in Cessnock, three in Muswellbrook, two each in Port Stephens and Singleton, one in Upper Hunter and another in Dungog.
The Lake Macquarie cases fell within Blackalls Park (three), Windale (two), Dora Creek (two), Swansea (two), Cameron Park (two), Cooranbong (two) and one each in Edgeworth, Warners Bay, Gateshead, Bonnells Bay, Redhead, Whitebridge, Floraville, Wyee, Marks Point and Belmont.
Newcastle had four Hamilton cases, three at Shortland and two each in New Lambton and Elermore Vale.
Additional cases were detected in Mayfield, Merewether, Newcastle, Cooks Hill, Birmingham Gardens, Kotara, Waratah West, Tighes Hill and Hamilton South.
Five of Maitland's nine cases were in Rutherford, with two in Telarah and the remainder in Woodberry and Farley.
Cessnock had three in Neath, two in East Branxton and one each in Weston, Cessnock and Cliftleigh.
Three fell in Muswellbrook, Port Stephens had a case in both Raymond Terrace and Salamander Bay while Singleton and Singleton Heights were on the list.
Merriwa in Upper Hunter and Gresford within Dungog local government area also recorded cases, adding those two shires to the deepening concern about the viral spread in the region.
In NSW there were 864 cases and 15 deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday night.
The deaths included eight women and seven men.
Three people were in their 50s, two people were in their 60s, two people were in their 70s, six people in their 80s, and two people were in their 90s.
Sewage monitoring has also flagged virus fragments linked to Quirindi, Armidale and Tamworth.
