Up to 8pm last night there were 98 new cases of Covid-19 identified across the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD), seven of which were located across Western Plains Shires.  

Of those cases, three were located in Cobar, one in Bourke, one in Walgett, one in Gilgandra, and one in Warren. 

Dubbo Shire continues to lead case numbers with 40 case numbers recorded in the 24 hour period. 

As mounting pressures on PCR testing sites continue, Minister for Health Brad Hazzard has urged the QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to revisit the regulations around entering QLD that requires negative test results. 

"I've urged her to revisit the proposition that testing requirements will change on the first of January...that may not seem like a lot of days for her but it is a lot of days here in NSW for our residents who are trying to get to QLD," Mr Hazzard said. 

Mr Hazzard said that each day NSW is getting between 100,000 and 150,000 tests, bringing the testing total to the highest in the country. 

"Anything we can do to ease the pressure will be extraordinarily helpful," Mr Hazzard said.  

Mr Hazzard said that QLD residents in NSW wanting to return to their own state are also contributing to the breached capacities of testing sites.  

"Rapid antigen tests make more sense for people about to cross the border" Mr Hazzard said.  

With the increasing numbers of health staff who are needing to isolate, the NSW Health has revised its approach to isolation guidelines for healthcare staff exposed to Covid-19, allowing them to return to the high risk settings of work after seven days, lowered from the original 14 days. 

Before returning to work, staff will be required to have a negative PCR test on day six.  

NSW Health Deputy Secretary Nigel Lyons said the changes ensure safety while helping to meet the increasing demands of the healthcare system.  

"Healthcare workers are the most vital workers needed in a pandemic, and the safety of staff working at NSW Health is of the utmost importance," Dr Lyons said.  

Testing and vaccination opportunities are available across the Western Plains, which can be found at the WNSWLHD site.