NSW has posted 34,660 new COVID-19 cases along with a further 20 virus-related deaths.
There were two deaths recorded in the the Hunter New England Local Health District over the weekend - a woman in her 70s from the Mid North Coast and a man in his 90s from the Tamworth area.
There were 116 COVID-19 cases receiving care in hospitals across the Hunter New England Local Health District, with seven in intensive care units.
While more people are dying with coronavirus in the state than at any time during the pandemic authorities are confident the worst is near and believe the crisis is in fact tracking better than expected.
However NSW hospitals are now caring for 2650 COVID-19 patients. Of these, 191 are in intensive care beds. At the depths of the Delta outbreak last September, there were 244 COVID-infected people in ICUs. While there has been some readjustment in the recording of deaths due to coronial inquest findings, the toll continues to rise, with 157 fatalities recorded over the past eight days.
Some 93.8 per cent of all eligible adults in NSW are now double dosed, while 25.4 per cent have also received a booster jab. Of children aged 5-11, 11.5 per cent are now single vaccinated.
Premier Dominic Perrottet says the state has "a difficult few weeks ahead" but things not currently being as bad as feared is "very reassuring and encouraging".
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant says about half the state's population could eventually become infected but some would be asymptomatic and may never even know they'd contracted the virus.
