Nine LGA's across the Central West test positive for COVID cases, while Orange records highest daily figure ever

Mr Hazzard predicted as many as 25,000 new infections across NSW daily by the end of January, and in the 24-hour period to 8pm on Wednesday the rising numbers across the state, and in the west, align with the trajectory.

Up from 19 on Wednesday, the Western NSW Local Health District recorded 38 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.

The Local Government Areas of Orange and Bathurst equally halved 24 of the overall count, with 12 cases reported in each city. That's a daily case record both locations.

Of the remaining 14 cases, Molong and Dubbo have four cases per LGA, the Blayney Shire has two infections, while the LGA's of Mudgee, Forbes, Trangie and Oberon each have single infections reported within these communities.

A list of testing clinics are available on the Western NSW Local Health District website at https://wnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/covid-19-information#popup-testing-clinics

Western NSW Local Health District announced that there is now a one-person limit for visitors to healthcare facilities.

The announcement outlined the requirement of face masks when at a healthcare facility, and that visitors must be over the age of 12.

Any advice from healthcare staff within these facilities must also be adhered to, as advised by WNSWLHD, to increase the health and safety of community members during visitation hours.

"Hospitals and healthcare settings accommodate the most vulnerable in our community and are staffed by the most vital workers needed in a pandemic."

Statewide, NSW has recorded 1742 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24-hour reporting period to 8pm on Wednesday.

This figure boasts an unwelcome record for the state's highest number of daily cases since the birth of the pandemic almost two-years ago.

In a press conference yesterday, Premier Dominic Perrottet urged peoples' focus to fall on the area of cases that are being hospitalised as a result of the virus, as opposed to the figure of case numbers itself; particularly as the figure for cases with the Omicron variant increases steadily.

With this announcement, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard also warned that, according to studies from the University of NSW, there was a possibility the state could see 25,000 cases of the virus per day, for the next month.

"[So] we may not get to 25,000 cases a day, but we could," he said.

No COVID-related deaths occurred, with 192 hospital cases receiving treatment for the virus and 26 cases in ICU.

The first dose figure is at 94.8 per cent, with 93.3 per cent of adults 16+ fully vaccinated.

Figures for people aged 12-15 are at 81.4 per cent for one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine received and 77.8 per cent of people aged 12-15 have received two doses.

Testing figures are at 104,501 in the last 24-hour period to 8pm. This number exceeds the previous reporting period by more than 39,000 additional tests.