Across the region there have been 44 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including one death, and the threat of the virus prompted a call out to former staff.

On Friday NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said advertising for retired health workers to come back on staff and help during the COVID-19 pandemic had been very successful, especially in the Western NSW Local Health District (LHD).

"There's been 300 people come forward and already an additional 40 new nurses and five new doctors have been employed," he said of this LHD.

"That's obviously crucial to be able to cope if we do get a substantial increase in patients over the next few months."

LHD chief executive Scott McLachlan said planning was well underway to significantly increase capacity, including in intensive care and ventilated beds.

"The district normally has 11 ventilated beds in the base hospitals at Bathurst, Orange and Dubbo. We're in process of more than tripling that number to 48," he said.

"These ventilated beds are critical for people who become very sick with COVID-19."

Mr McLachlan said the LHD had also implemented changes to non-urgent surgery as part of its response to the pandemic.

"This includes working with clinicians to prioritise surgery cases which will include the rescheduling of some cases to allow us to enhance intensive care capacity," he said.

"This move will free up staff working in or supporting our operating theatres to immediately undertake more specialised training so they can be redeployed to work in intensive care or other critical care areas.

"The aim is to initially double our current intensive care capacity and then expand if required."

Mr McLachlan said it was important to note, as international experience has shown, that around 80 per cent of people who contract the COVID-19 virus will likely have mild illness and be able to self-isolate at home without any need for hospitalisation.

Of those with more severe infections, only around five per cent require intensive care.

Why not subscribe, the first 30 days of full website access is free.