Sadly, HNE Health also reported a woman in her 30s died with COVID-19 in John Hunter Hospital.

The woman had not received any doses of a COVID vaccine and had underlying health conditions, according to HNE Health.

A total of 63 new cases were announced across the wider HNE region on Monday, October 18 as case numbers across NSW continue to fall.

A total of fifteen new cases were reported in Lake Macquarie, 13 in Mid-Coast LGA, 12 in Newcastle, 11 in Maitland, six in Cessnock, two in Port Stephens LGA and two in Tamworth LGA.

There are currently 29 people in hospital with COVID-19 across the HNE region, including four people in intensive care.

Across the state, NSW Health announced 265 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and deaths of five people who had contracted the virus.

The other people to have died included an unvaccinated man in his 50s and an unvaccinated woman in her 60s from Sydney's inner west as well as a woman in her 70s from south western Sydney and a woman in her 80s from Wollongong who had both received one dose of a COVID vaccine.

NSW Health said there have now been 475 COVID-19 related deaths in NSW since June 16, 2021.

More than 92 per cent of NSW residents aged over 16 have now received their first dose of a COVID vaccine and 80.3 per cent are fully vaccinated.

In the 12 to 15 years age group in NSW, 74.5 per cent have received their first dose and 34 per cent are fully vaccinated.