There have been an additional 21 cases of COVID-19 in Dubbo and a child is in hospital, in an escalation that's causing grave concerns amongst the state's leaders and health authorities.
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The total number of confirmed cases in Dubbo is now 59, and 63 across Western NSW including four in Walgett.
Two cases were confirmed in Mudgee on Saturday night, which are additional to the official case numbers.
Western NSW LHD Chief Executive Scott McLachlan said the "vast majority" of cases had been infectious in the community.
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"This is time for us all to stop and stay," Mr McLachlan said.
"Don't move anywhere, there are people infectious in our community in Dubbo, and in Western NSW.
"The only way that COVID is spreading is in human-to-human contact, the more contact you have, the more at risk you are, the more at risk we all are. Please, this is time to stay at home.
"This is a situation which will continue to grow...those numbers will continue to increase in the next 24 hours again."
No further information was provided on the child admitted to hospital for privacy reasons.
The concerning trend of transmission among school-aged children continues, with the Department of Education revealing a student at Dubbo College Delroy Campus has tested positive, and the school will be closed on Monday for cleaning.
An additional four students and staff members from Dubbo College South Campus have tested positive, forcing the school to close until at least August 26.
Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders said while schools remain open for the children of essential workers, he is urging people to resume learning from home.
"We are asking you, if at all possible to keep doing the learning from home as much as you possibly can," Mr Saunders said.
"Ninety-eight per cent of students on Friday did exactly that...we had 18 per cent of teachers in the Dubbo cluster at work."
Bunninyong Public School, Dubbo School of Distance Education and Orana Heights remain closed, while Macquarie Anglican Grammar and Dubbo West Public schools will reopen on Monday, after undergoing rigorous cleaning.
There are five new venues of concern listed as close contact venues in Dubbo. Anyone who has been to these venues at the listed times must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.
- St Laurence O'Toole Church, corner of Fitzroy and Tamworth streets. August 8, 6:50am-8:35am.
- Blend Sixty-Six Cafe, 83 Tamworth St. August 8, 8:20am-8:35am.
- Relish Cafe, 37-39 Bultje St. August 10, 11:55am-12:30pm.
- Storm Riders, Shop 1/184 Macquarie St. August 10, 1:30pm-1:35pm.
- Priceline Pharmacy, 86 Macquarie St. August 10, 1:55pm-3:55pm.
Additional 'causal contact venues', meaning you must immediately get tested and isolate until you receive a negative result, are listed on the NSW Health website.
There are 36 venues altogether - 35 in Dubbo and one in Walgett.
Dubbo residents are responding to calls to get tested. On Saturday there were 4,600 tests done in Dubbo and more than 7,500 in Western NSW.
There have been two further sewage detections over the weekend, one in Parkes and one in Walgett. People on those communities are urged to get tested.
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