COVID infections in the Orange Local Government Area have dropped to 15 cases in the 24-hour reporting period to 8pm on Tuesday, December 28.
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Following a surge in the previous report, the figure for the city has dropped by 13, where cases surged overnight from eight to 28 the day prior.
Of the city's 15 cases, two of these infections were connected to Cabonne Shire addresses, and are included in a total of 73 cases reported across the Western Region.
Figures for the Cabonne LGA came in with eight cases; five in Cargo, two in Molong, and a single case in Cudal.
Numbers in the Dubbo LGA also dropped - peaking in the 40s for the days prior - with a tally of 14 cases reported. Of these, two infections have Wellington addresses.
In Bathurst, six cases were recorded, with five cases in the Mid-Western LGA; all of which were detected in Mudgee.
There are four infections located in Parkes, with three cases in each of the Cowra, Oberon, and Bogan Shire LGA's; with the Bogan Shire cases all connected to the Nyngan area.
Condobolin, Forbes and Bourke each have two cases.
The single cases remaining in the latest report are scattered across the LGA's of Warrumbungle Shire's Coolah, Gilgandra, Cobar, Gulargambone, and the Shires of both Walgett and Blayney.
Western NSW Health District announced that COVID-19 testing is now being strictly prioritised due to high demands of testing across Western Region facilities, such as multi-purpose services, and hospitals.
"At all WNSWLHD facilities, the following groups will be given priority for PCR testing," the announcement read.
"Public hospital and [multi-purpose services] in-patients. healthcare workers, [and] other priority groups identified by WNSWLHD, such as those with active symptoms of COVID-19."
The announcement also noted that the new rule did not apply to COVID-19 testing clinics across the Western Health District that are run by external providers, such as Laverty Pathology, Histopath or Barratt & Smith.
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that the state will look to replace the current 72-hour PCR testing rule with rapid antigen testing to cross the border; though it still won't be considered until at least January 1, 2022.
Ms Palaszczuk revealed the information just one day after the five-day test rule was removed, with other states also calling for the PCR rule to be axed immediately to slow the growing pressures on the healthcare system.
I've encouraged - in the strongest possible of terms - the premier of Queensland to revisit her proposition that she will change the testing arrangement for travellers to Queensland in January
- NSW Health Minister, Brad Hazzard
NSW Health Minister, Brad Hazzard told reporters on Tuesday that QLD's "tourism testing" was placing undue stress on what should be a system prioritised for people who are COVID-symptomatic.
"It's putting enormous pressure, critical pressure on the clinical needs of testing in NSW for people who really need to know if they are positive or whether they are not to the current virus," Mr Hazzard said.
"I've encouraged - in the strongest possible of terms - the premier of Queensland to revisit her proposition that she will change the testing arrangement for travellers to Queensland in January."
Statewide, NSW has recorded 11,201 new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24-hour reporting period to 8pm on Tuesday, December 28.
The figure surged acutely by over 5000 infections from the 6,602 case in the last report, almost doubling the case count overnight.
There are 625 people in hospital receiving treatment for the virus, which sees an additional 104 people hospitalised between the end-to-end reports.
There are 61 cases in ICU, a number up by one, with three COVID-related deaths reported.
The death toll of people having died from COVID-related reasons is now at 653 for NSW behind Victoria's count of 1,499. The nationwide toll is at 2,202 deaths.
Vaccination figures remain the same from recent reports, with the first dose figure idling at 95 per cent, and 93.5 per cent of adults 16+ are fully vaccinated.
Figures for people aged 12-15 are at 81.5 per cent, and 78.2 per cent have received two doses of a COVID vaccine.
Testing figures have spiked by over 60,000 from the previous day, with 157,758 swabs assessed in the last 24-hour period to 8pm.
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