REGIONAL NSW will stay in lockdown until at least August 28, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has confirmed.
Ms Berejiklian said Newcastle, the Hunter and all other regions - including those with no active cases - would align with Sydney's mooted end date before the start of September.
Newcastle was the only Hunter local government area to add fresh cases in Thursday's announcement, with all five of Hunter New England's fresh cases within the city.
Hunter New England Health said two were infectious in the community, two are linked to the aged care clusters and all five are linked.
Three were in Jesmond and two in Elermore Vale.
28 people are in Hunter New England hospitals, the health district said, with none requiring intensive care.
Deputy premier John Barilaro said the numbers, like 25 new cases in western NSW, dictated the need for lockdown in the region's to roll on.
He also flagged additional cases in the Hunter since the 8pm cut-off for Thursday's figures.
"Since the 8pm reporting period overnight we know that we've got more cases in western NSW, southern NSW ... and Hunter New England," he said.
"My message to everybody continues to be to make sure we stay vigilant."
Ms Berejiklian noted that Sydney and the regions had been treated differently before, and could again, but it would depend on case numbers as the state's outbreak unfolded.
The five cases formally announced take the Hunter region's tally to 150 cases since the outbreak began earlier this month.
Sewage detection in Forster and Bateau Bay has also led health authorities to urge people to come forward for testing.
681 fresh cases were added to the NSW total in Thursday's numbers after 119,000 people were tested
At least 59 of the new cases were infectious in the community.
There are 474 cases in NSW hospitals, with 82 in ICU.
71 of those are not vaccinated, health officials said.
A man in his 80s who had received a dose of a vaccine died in a St George hospital. Ms Berejiklian said the man had underlying health issues.
Cases continue to mount in western NSW, she said.
"Things are settling down in other parts of regional NSW, which is positive, but our concerns remain for western NSW," Ms Berejiklian said.
"The lockdown in regional NSW will align with the rest of NSW, so until the 28th of August regional NSW will remain in lockdown.
"Everybody would appreciate and expect us to take a cautious response given the opportunity to get down to zero cases in the regions. That's definitely what we want to achieve."
On a more positive note, Ms Berejiklian said hitting high vaccination rates would mean "like would look much rosier".
110,000 people were vaccinated in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday in what Ms Berejiklian dubbed a "phenomenal result", meaning 53 per cent of NSW residents had received at least one jab.
