Case numbers have fallen slightly and the health district's COVID-related death toll has thankfully stalled, according to the latest situational report on the Hunter's most recent coronavirus outbreak.
Hunter New England Health reported Saturday that hospitals in the district were treating 92 people for the virus, down from 100 on Friday, six of whom were in intensive care. There were no deaths in the health district overnight.
It comes as PCR testing across the state returned 11,582 positive results, the NSW health authority said, while 8566 came from rapid antigen testing.
Of that number of positive RAT results, 7687 of these positive tests were from the previous seven days, NSW Health has clarified.
The number of people treated in the state's hospitals for COVID-19 increased to 2762, just more than 200 of whom required intensive care, as 20,148 positive test results were recorded in NSW Health's latest report to 8pm on Friday.
As the latest outbreak continues to unfold, Australia's medical regulator - the Therapeutic Goods Administration - earlier this week allowed for the first oral and fourth vaccine treatments for COVID-19.
The administration granted provisional approval for Novavax on Thursday, recommending two doses be given three weeks apart, and also the Pfizer-made oral treatment Paxlovid along with another oral treatment variation called Lagevrio.
The TGA noted, however, that oral treatments are not intended to be used as a substitute for COVID-19 vaccine.
The government has ordered 51 million doses of the Novavax vaccine, with a final approval still pending from Australia's leading vaccine advisory group.
While more than 95 per cent of the population aged 16 and older have received their first dose of a vaccine, the head of the TGA John Skerritt said Novavax would complement existing vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna.
"There are some individuals, notwithstanding a massive take up of vaccination in this country, who have been waiting for Novavax, and it's great that it's finally been approved," Professor Skerritt said.
The state's population aged 16 years and over is now 93.9 per cent double vaccinated, while 95.3 per cent have had their first COVID-19 vaccine shot.
31.6 per cent have had their third dose of vaccine.
Health Minister Greg Hunt meanwhile said the new treatments will be able to be prescribed to people by their doctor.
"That means they won't necessarily have to take them in hospital ... and it adds to our protection and will focus on those that have mild to moderate symptoms but are at risk of severe disease," Mr Hunt told reporters in Canberra.
The government has ordered 800,000 courses of the treatment, which are expected to arrive in the country in coming weeks.
Prof Skerritt said one of the new treatments was not necessarily more effective at treating COVID than the other.
"Because these drugs were tested at different times with different amounts of COVID around, you can't really say 'this one is so much better now'," he said.
"It's a bit like the Olympics - you don't know who is the best athlete until they come head to head."
- with reporting from AAP
