Murrumbidgee Local Health District provide weekly COVID update

In its weekly report published today, the MLHD said a total of 45 new cases of the virus have been diagnosed across the district in the past seven days.

These cases are residents of the Albury, Murray River, Griffith, Federation, Cootamundra-Gundagai and Wagga local government areas (LGAs).

In a statement the MLHD said the majority of these cases are linked to a known cluster or household contact, and that one case is a returned overseas traveller.

The health district hasn't provided a case-by-case breakdown as to which of the 45 cases are assigned to each LGA.

There has also been one death associated with COVID-19 in the MLHD in the past week, reported by NSW Health on Saturday.

The Riverina woman was in her 70s and died at Albury Base Hospital with the virus. She had received two doses of a COVID vaccine and had underlying health conditions.

The MLHD said the "vast majority" of people with COVID across the district are receiving care via the hospital in the home program, with no patients currently in hospital or the ICU.

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The health district confirmed there are currently 57 active cases of the virus across the region.

As of Monday 95.6 per cent of people aged 16 and over in the MLHD are fully vaccinated, and 77.4 per cent of those aged 12 to 15 are double-dosed.

Across the state 536 new cases of the virus were reported on Monday and no deaths from 74,997 tests.

The double-dose vaccination rate of those 16 and older remains at 93.1 per cent statewide, while 94.8 per cent of people have had their first jab.

There are 171 people are in hospital with the virus in NSW, with 24 of them in intensive care.

81.4 per cent of teens aged 12-15 have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 77.7 per cent are fully jabbed.

The new cases come as COVID restrictions are set to ease further from Wednesday, December 15, for all NSW residents regardless of vaccination status.

The community is encouraged to keep coming forward for COVID-19 testing and vaccination.

Vaccinations can be booked at more than 100 providers across the Riverina by using healthdirect.gov.au.

Testing in Wagga is available at the MLHD's Murray Street testing clinic between 9am and 4pm daily or the drive-through site at Wagga Showground until 6pm daily, at Laverty Pathology's drive-through site in the Riverina Playhouse car park off Tarcutta and Cross streets from 8am daily, and at the GP-led respiratory clinic at Glenrock in Glenfield Park between 9am and 5pm weekdays.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, sore throat, cough, headache, runny nose, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches or pains, and a change in taste or smell.

For further testing locations across the district go to www.mlhd.health.nsw.gov.au, or for help accessing a test call the Murrumbidgee COVID-19 Hotline 1800 831 099.

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