The Western NSW Local Health District has reported nine new COVID-19 cases, with 1035 cases being recorded across the state.
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Up to 8pm last night, the new cases for Western NSW are located in Dubbo (7), Walgett (2) - with three of Dubbo's LGA cases being in Wellington. There has also been a new sewage detection in Oberon.
It comes as 83 percent of the state has received their first dose of a COVID vaccine, 54.2 per cent have been double-dosed and 25 percent of 12-15 year-olds are now vaxxed.
Most of NSW is still locked down and police are cracking down on compliance measures as authorities battle to contain the spread of the virulent Delta strain.
On Wednesday morning health authorities confirmed another five people had died with COVID-19 in NSW - four women and one man.
Two people were in their 50s, one person was in their 60s, one person was in their 70s and one person was in their 80s.
One person was from the Wollongong area, one was from the Kiama area, two were from south western Sydney and one was from western Sydney.
Of the five people who died with COVID-19, two were not vaccinated, two had received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and a woman in her 80s with underlying health conditions had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
There are 1232 COVID-19 patients in hospital in NSW, with 242 in intensive care units and 122 on ventilators.
"When we hit 70 per cent double dose, irrespective of when it is, (we'll be) ready to roll out that vaccine passport," Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
But a NSW Liberal backbencher says the state government failed to adequately protect the regions from the risk of COVID-19 after the the Byron, Tweed and Kempsey council areas in the state's north were forced into lockdown.
The seven-day lockdown was mandated on Tuesday after a coronavirus-infected authorised worker with a valid permit flew from Sydney to Ballina on Saturday and was active in the community.
The lockdown prompted the Queensland government to exclude Tweed and Byron Shire residents from the border bubble, except for limited essential purposes.
The fully vaccinated authorised worker was working for the company filming the TV series "I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!" - which Liberal MP Catherine Cusack says was an unnecessary risk in a vulnerable region.
The Tweed Council had asked the NSW government not to approve it, Ms Cusack said.
Vaccination in the Tweed is below the state average with 71.7 per cent of people getting a first dose, while 45 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, the NSW construction industry will return to full capacity from next week as the state's vaccination coverage continues to grow, with hope community sport will soon follow.
From Monday, NSW will ease all capacity limits on construction sites while retaining the "four square metre" density rule.
The industry has been working at 50 per cent capacity, with vaccination requirements for workers from the 12 western and southwest Sydney local government areas of concern.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard also said cabinet was working on a plan to get community sport back.
The breakdown of the 1035 locally -acquired cases to 8pm Tuesday is:
- 312 are from South Western Sydney
- 211 are from Western Sydney
- 126 are from South Eastern Sydney
- 100 are from Sydney
- 62 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven
- 62 are from Nepean Blue Mountains
- 45 are from Hunter New England
- 41 are from Northern Sydney
- LHD, 35 are from Central Coast
- nine are from Western NSW
- five are from Southern NSW
- three are from Far West
- one is from Mid North Coast
- three are in correctional settings
- and 20 cases are yet to be assigned.
- with AAP
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