As western region residents work out how to enjoy their long weekend in or out of lockdown, Bourke shire residents continue to wage battle with the covid virus as 8 new cases were reported up to 8pm Friday 1 October. Narromine had a quieter day with just one case identified yesterday and other western plains towns recorded no new cases. 

The rest of the 19 cases in the Western Local Health District (LHD) were in Dubbo (3), Oberon (3), Wellington (2), Cowra (1) and Gulgong (1). This brings the cumulative total across the district to 1349 since the outbreak began, with 11 deaths to date. 

Testing rates across the Western LHD increased to 3012 yesterday. 

Still in care 

Of the 245 people still in care across the whole Western LHD, 26 are in the Bourke shire, 15 in Walgett, seven in Narromine, six in Warrumbungle shire and two in Gilgandra. 

As of this morning there were 11 patients being treated in hospital and five of those are in intensive care.

There are currently 288 people being cared for under the Covid Care in the Community program and a further seventeen patients have been discharged as they are considered no longer infectious or requiring care. 

In the western plains area, Bourke and Narromine shires will now remain in lockdown until 11 October. There were no virus fragments detected in samples taken from areas without known or recent cases. 

Schools and childcare services 

Schools, preschools and childcare services have continued to operate for children of essential workers or those  children who need to attend for other accepted reasons. 

Areas already out of stay-at-home orders will still return to school Tuesday 5 October. 

Schools in areas still under stay-at-home orders will now be returning from 18 October, with a staggered return. Kindergarten, Year 1, and Year 12 will now return on 18 October; Years 2, 6 and 11 will go back on  25 October and from 1 November Years 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 can be back in the classroom. 

Younger children in LGAs where restrictions have eased can attend early childhood education and care services with the same rules in place as prior to the stay-at-home orders. All children will be able to return to early childhood education and care settings from 18 October. 

Keep calm and vaccinate

The NSW Government's Roadmap to Recovery sees restrictions relax as vaccination rates reach three key milestones with the first being when 70% of the entire state population have received their second dose. 

As of 27 September, the Orana/Far West Region had recorded 89.2% of residents with their first dose and 62.9% fully vaccinated, just ahead of the state as a whole on 86.7% and 62.9%.