The source of two mystery COVID-19 cases in East Maitland has health authorities on edge.
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Hunter New England Health's public health physician Dr David Durrheim said contact tracers had been able to link most of the Hunter's 145 cases but there were two mystery cases in East Maitland that were still unlinked.
There have been 37 cases in Maitland since the outbreak began and 145 across the region.
He urged the community to come forward for testing with even the mildest of symptoms.
"The East Maitland area is a concern to us because that's the one area where we have had two cases without a known link," Dr Durrheim said.
Read more: Suburbs of active COVID-19 cases in Maitland
"We've been able to link the vast majority of the 145 cases but there are still two that we haven't been able to link in the East Maitland area, so don't ignore any symptoms in that area either. You need to get tested."
Dr Durrheim thanked the community in a video which was uploaded to the Hunter New England Health Facebook page on Wednesday.
He noted health authorities were still concerned about cases in parts of Newcastle.
"You can see a clustering of cases particularly in the Wallsend, Jesmond, Elemore Vale area and we are concerned about those cases because a number of them were active in the community while infectious," he said.
"If you live in this area please don't ignore any symptoms no matter how mild - even a change in taste or smell, a cough, a runny nose, get yourself tested, isolate and wait for a result."
He bolstered spirits, emphasising that the community would get through this difficult period.
"As you can see it has been a hectic two weeks. We've all had to muscle in together and we thank everyone who has gone to get tested, everyone who has had to isolate and all the cases who have done the right thing and kept their community safe," he said.
"We're in this fight together, we're going to get through this fight together."
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