THE Hunter's steady decline in COVID-19 cases can "only" be attributed to the region's rising double-dose vaccinations, as Maitland, Port Stephens and the Upper Hunter reach that 95 per cent fully vaccinated milestone.
Hunter New England public health controller, Dr David Durrheim, has credited the region's rising vaccinations rates with the stabilisation of COVID cases in the Hunter.
Of the 40 new cases in the local health district, 19 live in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and Maitland, as authorities turn their attention to a "concerning" rise in cases on the Mid-Coast and in Moree and Inverell.
It comes as double vaccination rates for people aged 15 and above in Maitland, Port Stephens and the Upper Hunter reached 95 per cent, with Lake Macquarie and Dungog not far behind at 94.9 per cent and 93.6 per cent respectively.
"We have seen the stabilisation of COVID case numbers in the Hunter region - that includes Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter Valley," Dr Durrheim said.
"It's a steady decline in cases which we can really only attribute to the rise in double-dose vaccination.
"So well done, people of the Hunter. Keep it up."
With the exception of Newcastle, which is lagging slightly behind, all Hunter LGAs have hit rates of 95 per cent for the first dose of the vaccine.
Newcastle is sitting at 93.6 per cent for a single dose, and 89.1 per cent for both.
But it is the Mid-Coast - which recorded 13 new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm Sunday - as well as cases in Moree and Inverell that is of "great concern" to public health officials.
"The Mid-Coast continues to experience relatively high COVID-19 cases," Dr Durrheim said. "What we are seeing is the virus is finding all of the immunity gaps. For people who are unvaccinated, the virus is unrelenting. It will find you.
"In Moree, 81 per cent of COVID cases have not had a single dose of vaccine. Only 6 per cent are double vaccinated. In Inverell, 90 per cent of cases are unvaccinated. The virus will find you if you are unprotected."
The new cases bring the total number of cases in Hunter New England to 3,545 since August 5, 2021.
Meanwhile, the health district has no plans to close the mass vaccination hub at Belmont anytime soon, with the centre now offering booster shots for anyone six months post dose two, as well as dose three for those who are immunocompromised.
The mass vaccination centre at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney delivered its last COVID-19 vaccines on Sunday, but Hunter New England Health said the Belmont hub would remain open until further notice.
