15 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the Hunter, bringing the regions total to 145 since August 5.
Of the new cases ten were recorded in Newcastle, three in Lake Macquarie and two in Maitland.
All of the new cases are linked to previous ones while seven were infectious in the community.
State wide, NSW recorded 633 cases, the highest daily record in the state since the pandemic began in 2020, surpassing the previous state record of 478 recorded on Sunday.
The cases come as dozens of residents at a Cardiff apartment tower face an anxious wait after three people with COVID-19 sent their building into lockdown.
Hunter New England Health confirmed members of the same family tested positive to the virus and have since been moved to a different location to isolate.
The remaining residents in the 30 unit complex on Sturt Road have all been tested and told to stay in their building until they receive their results.
In other news, The Australian Defence Force have been deployed to help Newcastle Police with COVID compliance and welfare operations.
50 ADF personnel have been deployed to the region to conduct compliance checks of stay-at-home and self isolation orders as well as welfare door knocks.
New exposure sites at East Maitland, Beresfield, Kotara, The Junction, Maitland, Jewells and Mount Hutton were added overnight.
Anyone who visited the following venue on the specified dates and times is considered a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days.
- NewsXpress, East Maitland on Thursday 12 August between 6am - 11:10am
Anyone who visited the following venues on the specified dates and times is considered a casual contact and must get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.
- The Steggles Shop, Beresfield on Thursday 12 August between 7:21am - 10:47am
- Reject Shop, Kotara Home Maker Centre on Saturday 7 August between 11:30am - 12pm
- Grill'd, The Junction on Sunday 8 August between 10:29am - 10:35am
- Reject Shop, High Street Maitland on Monday 9 August between 10:29am - 10:35am
- Coastal Electronic Repairs, Jewells on Wednesday 4 August from 10:45am - 11am
- Dunkley Dash Espresso Hut, Mount Hutton between 6:25am - 6:35am on Monday 2 August to Saturday 7 August.
For the full list of dates and times for any of the venues of concern, head to the NSW Health website.
