TWO more COVID cases have been added to the Hunter outbreak's tally as the last day of winter delivered some respite from rising pandemic daily case numbers.
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Port Stephens and Lake Macquarie registered cases in the 24-hour window, with both linked to existing cases, while prison infections have continued to rise.
Hunter New England Health said a Windale case had been isolating while infectious and was linked to an exposure outside the suburb, while a Raymond Terrace case with links to a Dubbo exposure site was infectious in the community.
As of Tuesday, eight Hunter patients are in hospital and one requires intensive care.
There were four cases on the Central Coast, with six not allocated to a health district.
Across NSW there were 1164 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday, up/down from the 1290 fresh cases announced a day earlier.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the potential for the state's international border to open before its domestic ones would depend on "a conversation with the prime minister" amid concerns other jurisdictions could hold off on re-opening beyond the 80 per cent vaccination mark.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard conceded there was not enough Pfizer stock in NSW, urging people to consider AstraZeneca if they could.
Asked how much more Pfizer was needed, Mr Hazzard said "a lot" but said it was a symptom of a global pandemic.
"Health staff at the front line are just desperate to see us all get vaccinated," he said.
"If you are over 16 and you can get the Pfizer, look around, there are various opportunities on the booking systems, but you might need to be patient until the federal government can provide more Pfizer to NSW."
Three deaths were also recorded in NSW.
They included a woman in her 50s, a man in his 80s and a second man in his 90s. All were in Sydney hospitals, taking the outbreak's total death toll to 96.
August 31's update delivered a slight dip in the statewide case numbers, but the daily influx remains above 1000.
NSW chief health officer said there were 74 COVID-positive inmates at Parklea, 43 new in Tuesday's figures, with one staff member infected.
NSW Health said an eighth staff member at Bathurst Correctional Centre had also tested positive.
"In response to these outbreaks, NSW Health is working with corrections services in testing patients and staff, identifying and isolating contacts and providing immunisation to staff and inmates," the service said.
Corrective Services NSW locked down centres including Cessnock jail on Sunday as a result of the Parklea exposures, and has introduced rapid antigen testing at prisons around NSW.
More than 130,000 tests were conducted in the 24-hour period.
143 people are intensive care, with more than 800 in hospital.
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With two thirds of the state's population having received a first dose of vaccination, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged those yet to get the jab to make it their goal for September.
"Once we know that you've signed up to your first dose we know that you'll be getting your second dose," Ms Berejiklian said.
Hunter New England Health issued alerts over several fresh exposure sites on Monday evening, including upgrading a Raymond Terrace sandwich shop from casual to close contact.
Public health physician Dr David Durrheim has urged people to bring back "old fashioned" measures including social distancing, and to assume anyone they encounter could be infected.
"Over the weekend what is concerning is the number of cases that we know were infectious in the community," Dr David Durrheim said on Monday.
"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."
Matt Carr
Matt began his Newcastle Herald career as a cadet in 2009. He is a Walkley nominated reporter who has covered councils, police and general news rounds across the Upper Hunter, Port Stephens, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Newcastle. Now his focus is on digital storytelling and breaking news.
Matt began his Newcastle Herald career as a cadet in 2009. He is a Walkley nominated reporter who has covered councils, police and general news rounds across the Upper Hunter, Port Stephens, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Newcastle. Now his focus is on digital storytelling and breaking news.
