Western New South Wales records its third Indigenous COVID-19 death

A Dubbo man in his 60s has become the third Indigenous person in western NSW to die from COVID-19. (ABC Western Plains: Jake Lapham)

A third Indigenous person from Western New South Wales has died after contracting the Delta variant of COVID-19. 

The Aboriginal man in his 60s, from Dubbo, died in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney overnight.

"He was not vaccinated and had some significant underlying health conditions," NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Marianne Gale said.

Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders passed on his condolences to the man's family.

"Our thoughts are with the man's family and friends and the entire community at this extremely difficult time," he said.

"Out of respect, we won't be providing any more detail at this point in time." 

The Western NSW Local Health District recorded 27 new cases of COVID-19 in the latest reporting period.

Seventeen of those were in the Dubbo Local Government Area (LGA).

People wait for their jabs inside the COVID vaccination hub at the Dubbo Convention Centre last month. (ABC Western Plains: Shannon Corvo)

Six were in the Bourke Shire, three in the Bathurst LGA and one in the Walgett LGA.

Seven cases were recorded for Wilcannia, in the Far West Local Health District.

Across the state, 1,480 cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the latest reporting period, with nine deaths.

It comes as the NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard visits western NSW.

Yesterday, he was in Wilcannia and Broken Hill and travelled today to Brewarrina and Walgett.

More than 60% of cases Indigenous

Mr Saunders said most of the COVID-19 cases in western NSW were First Nations people.

"Sixty three per cent of current positive case are Indigenous, 85 per cent under 50," he said.

With just over 2,800 tests carried out yesterday, Mr Saunders again called on people to get tested with even mild symptoms.

"We really want you to come forward for testing," he said.

But Jan Fizzell from the NSW Health Public Health Response Branch said people should not be getting tested when they do not have symptoms.

Tracking Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout (ABC News)

Still too many fines

NSW Police issued more than 100 fines yesterday to people in the state's west for not following public health orders.

"Fifteen face mask offences, the most basic of requirements for keeping yourself, your family and the other members of the community safe at the moment," Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie said.

"Who would not know the health orders now? I'm sure there possibly are some people who don't fully understand the health order.