In the past six days, three people in the Western NSW Local Health District have lost their lives and COVID cases continue to appear in western communities however the number of people in hospital remains fairly steady.

As of 4pm yesterday, Sunday 6 February, there were 20people in hospital with COVID-19 across the District and, of those, two were in intensive care.

Since 1 February case numbers have ebbed and flowed in the smaller towns with some days with no cases and others up to 14 new reports.

In the eastern sector of the Western LHD the cities of Dubbo, Bathurst and Orange continue to see anywhere between 30 and 100 new cases each day.

The economic disruption persists, with ongoing impacts on freight deliveries and lower numbers of people in shops and hospitality venues as they try to minimise contact with others to protect themselves and vulnerable family members.

The tally of new cases for western plains shires from 2 to 7 February are as follows:

Bogan - 9

Bourke - 19

Brewarrina - 16

Cobar - 40

Coonamble - 36

Gilgandra - 43

Lachlan - 37

Narromine - 40

Walgett - 45

Warrumbungle - 34

Warren - 7.

As children from the age of five are now able to access vaccines and those aged 16 and 17 eligible for booster shots, the already-high rates of vaccinations across the western plains continue to climb.