Four people remain in intensive care battling COVID-19, the Western NSW Local Health District has confirmed, while the number of positive rapid antigen test results now outnumber PCRs in the district.
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There were 257 new positive RAT results accounted for in NSW Health's latest COVID-19 report for the region, the data taken from results to 8pm on Thursday, January 27.
In that same time there were 215 new positive PCR tests. In total, it took the region's latest tally to 472. Orange accounted for 93 of those positive cases.
There's 19 in the Cabonne Local Government Area, while Blayney had 10 new cases.
There was also 28 people across the district battling the virus in hospital, with four of those in ICU.
In NSW, there was 13,333 new COVID-19 cases and 35 deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm.
Of the new cases, 7,077 came from positive rapid antigen tests while 6,256 came from PCR testing.
There are 2,737 COVID-19 patients in hospital, with 189 in ICU.
The state's population aged 16 years and over is now 93.9 per cent double vaccinated, while 95.4 per cent have had their first COVID-19 vaccine shot.
36.4 per cent have had their third dose of vaccine.
Teenagers will soon be able to get a COVID-19 booster shot after the medical regulator granted provisional approval for the Pfizer vaccine for 16 and 17-year-olds. Previously, only people 18 years and older had been able to get a booster shot.
People who have had COVID-19 over summer are being urged to get a booster vaccine within weeks of their recovery.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard is frustrated that just 36 per sent of the eligible population in the state have had the booster shot, despite supply being plentiful.
"It is a very clear message now: four to six weeks after you've had COVID, you can have the booster," he said.
Meanwhile at national cabinet on Thursday, states and territories agreed to trucking license changes to be based on competency and skills tests as opposed to only time. New Zealand trucking licenses will also be recognised.
Ongoing difficulties in lifting Indigenous vaccination rates and problems posed by misinformation were also discussed.
The double-dose rate for Indigenous people aged 16 and older is sitting around 75 per cent, compared with more than 93 per cent for Australia's overall 16-plus population.
- with Australian Associated Press (AAP)
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