COVID-19, coronavirus: Bathurst urged to keep testing in school holidays

The Bathurst local government area has not had a known case of COVID-19 since April 23, but residents are still heeding the message to come forward for testing with even the mildest of symptoms.

And with school holidays about to start across NSW, Western NSW Local health District is calling for even greater vigilance.

In the four weeks to Tuesday, there were 13,721 COVID-19 tests conducted at clinics across the Western NSW Local Health District.

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They included 2463 tests in the Bathurst LGA, 2529 tests in the Dubbo LGA and 2472 in the Orange LGA, and a spokesperson for Western NSW LHD said they were keen to keep testing numbers high.

"NSW Health is appealing to the community to come forward for testing right away if you have a runny nose or scratchy throat, cough, fever or other symptoms that could be COVID-19," the spokesperson said.

"If people don't come forward and get tested, we can't keep the pandemic at bay.

"We would like to see testing levels above 20,000 for NSW as achieved last week, ahead of school holidays.

"For the sake of your friends and family, get a test. And if symptoms recur even a few days later, test again. It's free."

Meanwhile, NSW Health continues to strongly encourage people to wear masks when they are unable to physically distance, particularly in indoor settings and on public transport.

Commuters are advised to sit in the back seat and wear a mask when taking taxis or rideshare services.

And anyone who has a COVID-19 test should remain in isolation until they receive their results.

"The quickest way to receive a negative test result is by text," the spokesperson said.

"If someone has a positive result,they will be contacted by the public health unit with further information and advice."

The spokesperson said the NSW Government had committed $800 million in extra funding to boost capacity in NSW public hospitals, particularly within intensive care units and emergency departments.