The Panorama Clinic is a sub-acute mental health service and most clients currently utilising the clinic will be transferred to a "hospital in the home" model of care.

Health district chief executive Scott McLachlan said work to repurpose the clinic would start on Monday with the transition process expected to take two days.

He said contingency plans for a COVID outbreak in Bathurst had been in place for months and health authorities were now enacting those plans.

Bathurst's first case was identified at the end of last week, while news of Orange's initial round of infections was confirmed on Saturday night.

"We now have six known cases of COVID-19 in the Bathurst area, and we have seen in Sydney and in Dubbo how quickly that can multiply," Mr McLachlan said.

"I can't stress this strongly enough - this represents a serious risk to people in Bathurst and both the community and the health service have to respond accordingly.

"We've had plans in place for months about how to escalate our response as the risk from COVID-19 increases, and these changes at Bathurst Base are part of that.

"Utilising the Panorama Clinic footprint enables us to operate the emergency department in 'hot' and 'cold' zones, keep patients that may present a COVID-19 risk separate from other patients."

Under the "hospital at home" model, which was also put in place at the start of the pandemic, mental health staff will provide care to each person in their own home using telehealth or, when needed, in person using COVID-safe measures.

Meanwhile, as COVID cases are rising in Bathurst, no new local venues of concern have been added to the NSW Health COVID-19 case locations website since Bathurst Subway and Petrie's Mitre 10 were listed last week.

However, Mr McLachlan said residents should not become "fixated" with venues visited by known COVID cases. Instead, the best response was to get tested and follow stay at home orders "to the letter".

"Test, test, test - that has to be a focus. We have to find out if this has reached any further into the community," Mr McLachlan said.

"Don't play a numbers game and think 'it's only six people'. Don't get fixated on the locations where known cases have been. Assume everyone has COVID-19 and let that motivate how you behave.

"If you don't have to leave your house for something essential, including testing and getting vaccinated, stay at home. Make sure your kids stay at home. Check in on friends or relatives over the phone or online but don't pop over for a cup of tea or a beer.

"Everyone thinks that one little action isn't going to make a difference, but trust me, it can. Don't risk it."

Mr McLachlan said testing at Mount Panorama had been rapidly expanded in response to the Bathurst outbreak.

"If you can possibly go to the Mount for the drive through testing, please go there," he said.

"Testing is available at the hospital (in the heritage building) but please leave it as free as possible to take care of people who can't get to Mount Panorama.

"If you have to wait to be tested, if you have to wait to get your results back, please be patient but don't let it put you off being tested."

Bathurst Laverty Pathology: Drive-through clinic, Mountain Straight, Mount Panorama. Appointments not required. Open Monday-Sunday, 8am-4pm.

Bathurst Base Hospital: Appointments are not required. Open Monday-Sunday, 9am-4pm.

Bathurst Respiratory Clinic: 1470 Panorama Avenue, Ochre Health, CSU appointment required. Open Monday-Sunday, 9am-4pm.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:

This article has been made free to all readers but we depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.