Staff from the Western NSW Local Health District (WSWLHD) believe they have tracked down the original case of COVID-19 that has since spread far across the region.

The announcement came during today's (Thursday 2 September) update of COVID-19 in the WNSWLHD, where health officials also reiterated the day's drop in new positive cases doesn't mean the region should be any less vigilant for signs of the virus.

Up to 8pm last night (1 September), 23 new cases were identified across the western region. 18 were in Dubbo, one was in Brewarrina and four were in Orange, taking the current total of active cases to 665.

COVID testing is currently available at all three locations. For an updated list of testing locations across the Western Plains, click click here.

Testing numbers have continued to increase - 4600 were recorded across the region yesterday - though authorities say it is still less than half the number they are recommending in order to limit the potential spread of the virus.

There are 19 patients currently admitted to hospital across the District and five in intensive care. No new deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.

Several new venues of concern have been identified, including in Brewarrina and Nyngan, with a total of more than120 venues of concern across the WNSWLHD. 

The full list of venues of concern is available on the NSW Health website. Further sites and more details may be added or removed as investigations continue.

The total number of cases across the Western Plains shires to date are 49 in Bourke, four in Walgett, five in Gilgandra, 15 in Narromine, two in Coonamble and nine in Brewarrina.

According to WNSWLHD Chief Executive Scott McLachlan, active cases across these areas had remained mostly steady, although he advised the potential for future infections should remain the focus.

He said at least nine of the new cases, including one in Brewarrina, were infectious in the community and at least seven had been moving around on multiple days.

"Yet again, we're still seeing too many people out in the community infectious and with symptoms," he said.

"Can I please urge everyone if you've got any symptoms, however mild, go and get tested, don't go out in the community, to the shopping centre or out to see aunties and uncles and cousins and friends."

Vaccination rates continue to increase

The pop-up vaccination clinics set up by the WNSWLHD and Australian Defence Force continue to roll out across the region, with around 15000 vaccinations now issued through the various hubs.

An updated list of currently available pop-up vaccination clinics across the region can be found here.

Officials are pleased with growing vaccination numbers across the region and reiterated that the best vaccination for someone is the one they can get right now.

Health advice has also recently been updated surrounding the AstraZeneca vaccine, specifically the time between the first and second jab.

It is now recommended that people who receive this vaccine have their second within four to six weeks - more than half the original recommended wait time of 12 weeks.

Possible source identified

When asked if investigations had been underway about the first case in the WNSWLHD during the current outbreak Mr McLachlan confirmed public health teams had been working hard to figure it out.

He said they were now fairly confident they had found the original source to have come from a location in Western Sydney but that they remain focused on the challenge ahead of them of managing the virus now it was here.

"We believe that we've picked up the originating case - that was a couple that were in Western Sydney and came back into our region what was now over four and a half weeks ago," he said."

"What we now know is there's so much broad spread of this Delta strain across all of our communities - that said, it's not so much about where it came from, it's now what's happening today.

"In any one of our communities, there's a real risk that you could be standing beside someone with COVID or you yourself could be the next spreader."

For all the latest information about COVID-19 across the Western Plains, including some helpful links, check out our in-app COVID-19 button.