The COVID situation in Dubbo is "concerning" and "rapidly evolving", with the east and west of the city known sites of community transmissions.
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Seventeen new cases were confirmed in Dubbo up to 9am on Friday morning while there had been three new cases in Walgett.
One case was also confirmed at Bathurst jail on Friday, taking the total cases in the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) to 26.
Two cases were in hospital on Friday, with one in intensive care as a precautionary decision, but neither was on a ventilator.
The WNSWLHD chief executive Scott McLachlan spoke on Friday and confirmed numbers are expected to continue increasing.
"We do have a rapidly evolving situation and a concerning situation," Mr McLachlan said.
"The contact tracing for these cases and further cases is still under way. We expect this number will continue to grow.
"The vast majority of the new cases were infectious in the community."
Mr McLachlan also confirmed a large proportion of the cases are Aboriginal people and many are children.
He and Dubbo Regional Council mayor Stephen Lawrence implored the Indigenous community in the region to stay home and get tested should the slightest symptoms show.
"There are particular issues at play here," Councillor Lawrence said.
"We know our Aboriginal community is more likely to live in bigger households. We know our Aboriginal community, by and large, is part of big extended families.
"We know there are particular health issues and outcomes in the Aboriginal community."
Cr Lawrence also gave a direct message to the communities in west Dubbo and in Dubbo Regional Council's East Ward.
"It's so important to stay home at the moment," he said to residents of East Ward.
"We know community transmission is occurring in your area. It's so important to stay home and get tested if you have any symptoms or concerned.
"I'd like to also speak directly to Aboriginal people living in west Dubbo. We know a significant community transmission is happening in west Dubbo.
"It's so important to stay at home, so important to get tested if you have any symptoms or concerns, and so important to spread the word to family and friends."
In the past 24 hours as of Friday afternoon, 6000 tests had been done in Western NSW, with 4000 of those in Dubbo.
"Testing is our absolute solution to getting in front of COVID and stopping it dead in our region," Mr McLachlan added.
"Please just stay at home. This is an urgent and crucial time for us."
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
