Lismore and Albury will be forced back in to lockdown just days after restrictions lifted, after COVID-19 cases were detected in the regional NSW towns.
Some 1351 new locally-acquired cases were recorded in the 24-hours until 8pm on Wednesday across the state, as well as 12 deaths, which take the toll for the current outbreak to 210.
Dozens of new cases were diagnosed in regional NSW, including one in Lismore, near the Queensland border, and two in Albury, on the Victorian border.
Stay-at-home orders will resume in both towns from 6pm, for at least seven days.
The source of the infections in Albury are unknown, Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Marianne Gale said, but they are possibly linked to Sydney.
"Those people people appear unrelated to each other (and) there are a number of exposure sites," she said.
"So I'd ask everybody living in the Albury area to please be vigilant for systems and come forward for testing."
The Lismore case is also possibly linked to Sydney, with potential exposure sites identified there too.
"For residents of Lismore, again, we ask you to please monitor for symptoms, pay attention to the public health advice and come forward for testing promptly."
A case has also been identified in Glen Innes, inland from Coffs Harbour, since the 8pm cut off, with a lockdown of that area on the cards too.
"We'll work with the local health team when we have further information," Deputy Premier John Barilaro said on Thursday.
"We'll do that in a measured way, before (taking) a knee-jerk reaction about locking down an area.
"It's no different to the cases in Albury that were identified yesterday and Lismore last night."
It comes as lockdown lifts for an additional 12 regions from 1pm on Thursday.
Those areas are Bega Valley, Blayney, Bogan, Cabonne, Dungog, Forbes, Muswellbrook, Narrabri, Parkes, Singleton, Snowy Monaro and the Upper Hunter shire local government areas.
However, with schools breaking up for two weeks from Friday, Mr Barilaro urged families in the regions to avoid travel.
"The reality is it's not these school holidays you should travel," he said.
"I encourage people to stay home and only travel if they need to and to avoid areas that are under lockdown conditions.
"Stay home and spend that time with family because it's a freedom you have."
