Bathurst returns to high COVID case figures, health district hospitalisations up

COVID cases admitted to hospitals in the Western NSW Local Health District, meanwhile, increased by almost a third, but there remain no cases in ICU.

Bathurst Regional's 15 new cases to 8pm on Saturday in the official update from the health district seemed curious when it followed days of 257 and 272 new cases respectively.

The latest update says Bathurst Regional had 220 new cases to 8pm on Sunday of the health district's 520 new cases.

Orange had 94, Dubbo Regional 87 (including five at Wellington), Mid Western 29 (19 of those at Mudgee), Oberon two and Blayney Shire nine.

The health district has been emphasising that there are likely "more undiagnosed cases in our communities".

COVID cases admitted to hospitals in the health district were up by one to 17, with no cases in ICU, in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday.

That figure rose to 22 in the latest reporting period, with no cases in ICU.

IN OTHER NEWS AROUND BATHURST:

Across NSW, in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday, there were 20,293 new COVID cases, down by almost 10,000 on the previous 24 hours, and 18 deaths, according to NSW Health - six women, 11 men and a child aged under five.

Four were from south-western Sydney, three from western Sydney, two from the Hunter region, two from southern Sydney, two from Sydney's inner west, one from northern Sydney, one from Sydney's inner city, one from eastern Sydney, one from the Riverina region, and one from Penrith.

The child, from south-western Sydney, died at home and had significant underlying health conditions, NSW Health says.

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NSW Health says there are 2030 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital in the state, up by 103 on the previous day, and 159 people in intensive care, up by eight on the previous day.

Of those, 47 require ventilation, which is up by nine on the previous day.

Western NSW Local Health District is urging parents to make a booking as soon as possible as children aged between five and 11 start to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

The health district says the bulk of the children's vaccination program will be delivered through general practitioners and pharmacies, with Aboriginal Medical Services and Western NSW Local Health District's vaccination hubs and mobile clinics also playing a role.

The Bathurst hub (at the CSU campus) will be delivering vaccinations to children, alongside the adult vaccination and booster programs.

"At vaccination hubs, parents and carers will need to book ahead for children's vaccines, and to make life a bit easier they'll be able to book both the first and second shots for their kids at the same time," health district CEO Mark Spittal said.

Children aged between five and 11 will receive two specially-sized doses of the Pfizer vaccine, eight weeks apart.

The Bathurst hub will have its first appointments for children on Thursday, January 13.

It will operate six days a week and will have space for more than 30 children each day.

Visit the Western NSW Local Health District's website.

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