THREE out of four new COVID cases in NSW were under 40, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said as the state surpassed 5.2 million vaccinations.
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NSW recorded 452 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday, with 152,000 tests.
Another 19 new cases across the Western NSW Local Health District - 16 in Dubbo, two in Bourke and one in Broken Hill - takes the number of active cases in our area to over 100.
There are now 116 active cases of COVID-19 in the Western NSW LHD. Dubbo accounts for 107 of those cases, with NSW Health officials indicating the bulk of those cases are in the Aboriginal community.
"Again we are concerned, but it is improving on recent numbers," deputy premier John Barilaro said.
The premier said numbers were likely to continue bouncing around.
"Our key aim is keeping people out of hospital and keeping people alive," she said.
Cases may spring up anywhere in the state, as we've seen, so we all need to be alert and get tested at the mildest of symptoms.
- NSW Health's Dr Jeremy McAnulty
Dubbo, Walgett and western NSW remains "of enormous concern", Ms Berejkilian said.
A fresh case has been detected in Broken Hill.
"There are extra supports being sent to western NSW to ensure we got on top of the cases out there," she said.
NSW Health's Dr Jeremy McAnulty said "large numbers" of people continued to present to hospital.
"Cases may spring up anywhere in the state, as we've seen, so we all need to be alert and get tested at the mildest of symptoms," he said.
At least 50 were infectious in the community statewide, Ms Berejiklian with a number under investigations.
A woman in her late 70s died at Westmead hospital.
Ms Berejiklian said the woman had not been vaccinated.
She added that NSW had recorded 5.2 million jabs, putting it "well on its way" to 6 million by the end of August. She said more than half of those over 16 in the state had received at least one dose, which meant the chance of contracting and transmitting the virus was "substantially reduced".
"We're really keen for everybody to look up your suburb to see what the vaccination rate is in your suburb," Ms Berejiklian said.
"Life will be much freer once we get to 70 per cent [fully vaccinated] and 80 per cent [first jab]," Ms Berejiklian said.
"It doesn't mean it will be completely free ... but it will be a lot freer."
Deputy premier John Barilaro and Ms Berejiklian will later today address regional media, the second day of a press conference specifically for areas beyond greater Sydney's borders.
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