Singleton is on the brink of going back into lockdown after two unlinked cases were detected in the community.
The two cases were announced on Saturday, and have triggered an exposure site - the Imperial Hotel bar and gaming area on Sunday, September 19 between 12.15pm and 12.45pm.
Hunter New England health said the two new cases are the first that have been infectious in the community since Singleton came out of lockdown last Thursday.
As well as being unlinked to other known infections, the cases are also unlinked to one another, the health service said.
Close contacts have been identified and are in isolation, but contact tracing is still underway. The sources of both infections are also being investigated.
Dungog has also been flagged for possible cases, after a positive sewage detection in the town was announced on Saturday.
