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There was a sharp rise in COVID infections in the Newcastle region reported on Wednesday, with 45 cases detected — more than double the number reported on Tuesday. At least 29 were infectious in the community and 17 are yet to be linked to known sources.

Meanwhile, Dungog, Singleton, Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter came out of lockdown on Thursday and businesses rallied to get their doors open again. In other parts of the Hunter, there's concern about how small business owners will manage the vaccination rules when NSW hits 70 per cent double dose.

Are you feeling the burn? Legs hurting as you stand up from your chair? Finding muscles in your body you have never used before? You are not alone! Footpaths are packed, mountain bikes are sold out and the ocean is full of surfers.

Ten years since it was first announced, Maitland's new hospital is nearing completion. It will be double the size of the current facility, and hundreds of staff and patients will move from old to new.

Was it the soundtrack to your angsty teens? When a group of teenagers from Newcastle won a competition to record their song Tomorrow at the triple j studio, no-one knew history was about to be made.

In 2019 Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre was shut due to fears an earthquake could trigger a coal ash dam collapse. It left the water ski club without a place to train or hold events that attracted people from around NSW.

It's always amazing to stand on the Hunter coast and see whales doing their thing during migration. But have you noticed less splashing and crashing than normal?

Everywhere you go at the moment, you pull out your phone and scan the black and white QR code. It records your name, number and the time you're in a certain place. But exactly how is that being used by contract tracers when a COVID-19 case is confirmed?

A father-daughter trip to Newcastle's Bar Beach almost ended in tragedy. Thankfully, quick thinking from 13-year-old Mia Campbell literally saved the day.

There's something special being run for locals living with dementia and their carers. All it takes is a blank piece of paper, some art supplies and a whole heap of love.

It's a question a team of University of Newcastle researchers have been asking the Hunter community: If you have nostalgic memories of your childhood at the cinema, does it make you a movie person into adulthood?

Reminder to get tested: COVID-19 testing rates in some Hunter local government areas almost halved in the past week. And that's led to Hunter health asking you to continue getting tested if you have any symptoms or have visited an exposure site.

Did you feel the earth move? At 09:15am on Wednesday, reports came in from people in Newcastle West, Merewether, Hamilton South, Islington and New Lambton that they felt the earth shake. It's connected to a 5.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Mansfield in Victoria.

Storm damage: New data has revealed the Hunter Valley was the most impacted by storms in NSW over the past 12 months. NRMA Insurance says Newcastle and the Hunter recorded more storm and hail related claims than any other region, with nearly 14 per cent of all the claims.

Flags are back: Surf lifesaving flags are back on Hunter beaches with local lifesavers patrolling from now until the end of summer. As well as swimming between the flags, lifesavers are asking us to follow social distancing rules and avoid mingling.

Bishop resigns: The head of the Catholic Diocese of Maitland and Newcastle, Bishop Bill Wright, has announced he'll step down due to ill health. Bishop Wright, who's 69, says he suffers from an illness from which he will not recover and is physically incapable of fulfilling the bishop's role.

More vaccines: First Nations women who are pregnant can now get a Pfizer vaccine in the Hunter. Awabakal has partnered with child health service Birra-Li to vaccinate Indigenous women at its Cardiff Clinic.

Awabakal artist Michael Arnold continues his work in the controversial field of rock stacking. "It has a lot of bad stigma around it," he says, "but I like to think that it can be done in a very mindful way." Michael has been working in this field for half a decade. You can check out more of his work on Instagram.

You can show everyone what the world looks like where you live by using the hashtag #ABCmyphoto on Instagram or by uploading your photos online here. 

This week there's been wind, rain and even a bit of hail. While you can expect a wet spring season, for the rest of the week the sun will be popping out to warm up your days. The only day there might be a shower is Sunday, but otherwise you can expect temperatures into the mid 20s.

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ABC Newcastle acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.