110 new cases for Dubbo, with the number of people in hospital in the Western NSWLHD with COVID diving

As the Western NSW Local Health District continues to push vaccinations - both booster shots and vaccine for kids - the dramatic drop in the number of patients battling the virus in hospital services across the region is a real positive.

Of the 25 in hospital throughout the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday, one of those patients is in intensive care.

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It comes at the same time NSW recorded a stark increase in hospitalisations, as well as 29 deaths.

There are 2943 COVID-19 patients in hospital, with 183 in ICU, across the state.

Case-numbers wise, Dubbo is still recording high numbers, with 110 new COVID-19 cases in that Local Government Area, while Bathurst picked up 53 new cases.

Orange recorded its lowest daily total in almost a month, with just 15 new infections, all of which came from positive PCR tests. It's Orange's lowest total since December 29.

Across NSW, 18,512 new COVID-19 cases were recorded, as well as the 29 deaths.

Of the new cases, 9090 came from positive rapid antigen tests while 9422 came from PCR testing.

Hospitalisation numbers are up 127 people on Monday's report, when 2816 patients were being cared for, but ICU numbers are down 13, with 196 in ICU yesterday.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced COVID restrictions would be extended until February 28 while the hospital restrictions on elective surgery would continue as scheduled until mid-February.

The continuing COVID restrictions included density limits of two square metres for hospitality venues, wearing face masks indoors, QR code check-ins at certain premises, and no singing and dancing in hospitality venues, nightclubs, entertainment facilities, or indoor music festivals.

As additional measures, people are encouraged to continue to work from home where possible and to reduce mingling when eating and drinking.

"We want that non-urgent elective surgery back as quickly as possible. We've set out a date of mid-February and that's our commitment to maintain that date," Mr Perrottet said.

"We are currently tracking better than our best case scenario here because of the significant investment that we've made in steeling capacity here in the hospital system.

"As we move through, we want to maintain that cautious approach as we continue to get our booster program moving. So the restrictions that we put in place last year, we will be rolling over for another month."

NSW Health says 8242 of Tuesday's 9090 positive RAT results were from tests taken in the past seven days.

NSW Health also noted that some of the cases included in the numbers were people who had reported positive RATs on multiple days and/or where people had a positive PCR test during the same reporting period.

The state's population aged 16 years and over is now 93.9 per cent double vaccinated, while 95.3 per cent have had their first COVID-19 vaccine shot.

33.8 per cent have had their third dose of vaccine.

Those aged between 12 and 15 years are 78.3 per cent double vaccinated, while 82.7 per cent have had their first dose.

Of those aged 5 to 11 years old, 28.7 per cent have had their first vaccine dose.