Schools around the Western Plains that have remained closed will resume as of tomorrow (October 11), with areas of higher concern returning 7 days later in a staged return. Along with the freedoms introduced tomorrow, the day will mark some students' first steps in a classroom in months. 

Up to 8pm last night there were 17 new cases identified in the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD). 

Five positive cases were located in Walgett, five in Wellington, three in Bourke, three in Cowra and one in the Dubbo LGA. 

Of those cases, nine were infectious in the community. 

While Bourke saw zero cases infectious in the community, Walgett has been thrust in the spotlight at the return of an outbreak they had just managed to squash. Authorities are encouraging testing for locals to minimise spreading before travel between regions and new freedoms come into effect from tomorrow. 

The alert comes as two of the Walgett cases were infectious in the community. 

Narromine is one of the communities where schools are able to open as of tomorrow, returning at Level 3 settings. This includes facemasks required for all staff in both indoor and outdoor settings. 

On October 18 Bourke will begin a staggered return to schools and operate under Level 3 plus settings. This requires that face masks are mandatory in all settings for both staff and students in Year Seven and above. Masks are also strongly encouraged indoors for primary students, but not mandatory. 

Under these settings Kindergarten, Year one and Year 12 students will return first, followed by the other years on October 25. 

Covid-19 testing is continuing over the weekend, with Lightning Ridge and Brewarrina and Gilgandra remain localities of concern in the WNSWLHD following positive sewerage detection of Covid-19.

Within the WNSWLHD there are nine patients in hospital with Covid-19, two of which are in the Intensive Care Unit. 

Today’s Covid-19 numbers bring the districts cumulative total of confirmed cases to 1478 since the outbreak began.