NOW 103 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the Hunter New England Health (HNEH) district.
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Another 31 cases have been confirmed in the last 24 hours.
The cases are now scattered right across the district, Public Health physician Dr David Durrheim said.
"Everyone should consider that the virus is circulating in your community," he said.
"So it's absolutely critical that we all distance ourselves, we need to stand back that 1.5m, we need to restrict the amount that we go outside only to critical activities.
"We need to make sure that if we have a cough, or a cold, or a fever that we don't go out into the community and potentially spread COVID-19.
"That is the time to be at home and be safe and not spread the virus."
Five patients are being cared for in hospital and two are in Intensive Care Units.
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The news comes as Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall called on HNEH to reveal case numbers by local government area to give communities the full picture.
"Up until today [March 24], I was receiving a daily update, which I was passing onto local councils and the community, but that ceased today and will not resume," he said.
"The last update I received was last night and at that point their were no cases anywhere within the Northern Tablelands.
"By their actions, HNEH will create a larger information vacuum, inciting further anxiety, confusion and panic in our communities, at a time when there are already heightened tensions."
HNEH has stated that providing case locations is a breach of patient privacy and does not serve the public.