NSW records 12 new coronavirus cases overnight including EIGHT cases of community transmission - topping Victoria's count for the first time in MONTHS

New South Wales has recorded 12 new cases of coronavirus, including eight in the community, in the latest testing period.

Five of the latest cases have already been traced, while three others remain under investigation.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Thursday confirmed the three cases which remain under investigation are linked to one source, and she hopes there will be further updates throughout the day.

There are two clusters under investigation, including one linked back to the previous Liverpool Hospital cluster in Sydney's south west. 

Four new cases are close contacts of an employee at the hospital.  

Another new case, which was first reported on Wednesday afternoon but was not considered in the official daily tally until Thursday, is under investigation.

People wear face masks in Circular Quay as New South Wales records eight cases of community transmission

The remaining two cases are close contacts of that case.

NSW Health has not yet ruled out the possibility that all eight new cases are in fact linked. 

A further four cases were diagnosed in returned travellers already completing mandatory hotel quarantine.

Ms Berejiklian warned there are likely more cases of COVID-19 circulating in the community.

'I am... expecting the number of community transmissions to increase, given those three cases yesterday,' she told ABC TV on Thursday.

'But that's what we expect in a pandemic. If you're keeping your borders open, if you have an open economy, you're keeping jobs going, you're making sure the community is supported as much as possible, whilst you're controlling the virus, you're going to have cases pop up now and then.

'And that's why I've always argued that it's better to have a resilient system, one with open borders, rather than have these artificial rules about when it's safe to open a border or not. I don't think that works, I don't think it's fair.'

Gladys Berejiklian  is expecting community transmission of COVID-19 in NSW to increase

Earlier she chided her counterparts in Queensland and Western Australia for their 'blinkered views' and unyielding border restrictions.

The streak of 12 consecutive days without a single case of community transmission of COVID-19 ended on Wednesday, threatening the prospect of the Queensland border re-opening on November 1.

The Queensland government has given New South Wales 48 hours to find the source of the three new unknown cases which were detected.

If there is no clear link found, the countdown to borders reopening will start again as the Sunshine State insists on 28 days without a single case of community transmission. 

Ms Berejiklian said she was blindsided by the 48-hour deadline imposed by Queensland to trace the source of the latest COVID cases after hearing it on the news.

'I don't know where they got that from. Does it matter how long it takes our experts to find the links?'

She also indicated that the border with regional Victoria would not reopen any time soon. 

Mr Berejiklian is urging more people to come forward and seek testing 

Anyone who dined at the five-star Ripples restaurant at Milsons Point, adjacent to Luna Park, on Saturday between 8.00pm and 10.30pm has been told to get tested for COVID-19 and isolate for 14 days

Meanwhile anyone who dined at the five-star Ripples restaurant at Milsons Point, adjacent to Luna Park, on Saturday between 8.00pm and 10.30pm has been told to get tested for COVID-19 and isolate for 14 days. 

Contact tracing is underway but NSW Health says the details of a small number of walk-in diners on the night weren't recorded.

NSW Health has also issued a warning for anyone who was at the Mazda Artarmon repair centre on Sydney's north shore between 7.30am and 9.30am on Friday to monitor for symptoms.

None of the three new cases - a Camden woman, a Parramatta woman and a Wollondilly man - are linked to each other so far, and authorities are racing to trace their contacts.

NSW Health on Wednesday also issued an alert for who attended an 8.15am pilates class at Fitness First in Carlingford on Saturday to get tested and isolate for 14 days.

Public health alerts have also been issued for Narellan Kmart, Penrith Homemaker Centre, Penrith Guzman y Gomez, Penrith Home Co, Westfield Parramatta and Castle Towers Shopping Centre between October 2 and 5.

More to come 

NSW Health have issued a public health alert for people who attended Westfield Parramatta  between October 2 and 5