A Maitland man in his 70s has died in hospital overnight, as the Hunter New England local health district reported the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in the state for the second day on Friday.
Health officials said the man was suffering from significant underlying health issues, and had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Hospitals in the district are treating 19 people for the virus, two of whom require treatment from the intensive care unit, as 57 new cases emerged in the 24 hours to 8pm Thursday.
Of the new cases reported to 8pm Thursday, 16 were reported from the MidCoast local government area, with 13 from Moree, 12 from Inverell, six from Port Stephens, three from Tamworth, a further three from Lake Macquarie, one in Dungog and one at Maitland.
Two new cases were reported from the Newcastle local government area.
The latest update takes the health districts total number of active cases to 833, as NSW more broadly reported 286 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths.
NSW has meanwhile reached 90.6 per cent double-vaccine coverage in eligible adults aged 16 and older, as coverage for eligible children aged 12 to 15 reaches 71.7 per cent. Around 80.4 per cent of the same cohort have received at least one dose, health officials said.
The details of this report are developing. It will be updated.
