Saturday 6 November 2021: NSW records three deaths and 270 new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases

One new case was acquired overseas and five cases have been excluded following further investigation.

The total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic now stands at 76,391.

The state edges closer to a 90 per cent full vaccination rate ahead of the next easing of restrictions for the fully vaccinated from Monday.

NSW now has 89.4 per cent of its population aged 16 years and older fully vaccinated while 93.8 per cent have had a single dose.

In the 12-15 year old age group, 79.9 per cent have had their first dose, and 67.4 per cent are fully vaccinated.

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72,350 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours, compared to yesterday's total of 80,581.

There are currently 270 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital in NSW, with 55 people in intensive care, 27 of whom require ventilation.

Of the three deaths reported today, one woman was in her 30s from western Sydney, one man was in his 60s from Wollongong and one man was in his 50s from western Sydney.

Both the woman and man from Wollongong were not vaccinated, while the man from western Sydney had received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. All had underlying health issues.

There have been 536 COVID-19 related deaths in NSW since 16 June 2021 and 592 in total since the start of the pandemic.

Of the 270 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night:

NSW Health's ongoing sewage surveillance program has detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 in sewage samples collected from across NSW, including Uralla, Dungog, Byron Bay and Denman, where there are no known cases.

Everyone in these areas is urged to monitor for the onset of symptoms, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

Meanwhile, regional areas with lower vaccination rates are experiencing their first outbreaks.

Of the 249 local COVID-19 cases recorded on Friday, more than half were outside the Greater Sydney region.

An outbreak of COVID-19 in the New England has dramatically escalated, with the region's first patient in hospital and dozens more cases identified.

Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall, revealed the Moree Plains local government area had added another 20 cases, taking the total number of active cases in the area to 70.

The increase in cases in regional and remote areas has sparked concerns Indigenous communities are underprepared for an outbreak as travel around NSW resumes.

Federal Labor pointed to an Indigenous "vaccination gap", including in five regions where the difference between the state's double-dose rate and the rate for fully vaccinated Indigenous people exceeds 20 per cent.

The NSW-Victorian border is now open.

Premier Daniel Andrews and NSW counterpart Dominic Perrottet issued a joint statement on Thursday night announcing the states would open their borders to each other from Friday.

Travel between the two states had already been unrestricted for the fully vaccinated from Monday.

But from 11.59pm on Thursday, all remaining NSW and ACT orange zones were downgraded to green under Victoria's travel permit system.

The change allows all travellers and workers to enter Victoria without any testing or quarantine requirements, including unvaccinated people, if they apply for a permit beforehand to verify they are not COVID-positive or a close contact.

Fully vaccinated Victorians can also freely travel into NSW unless they've been to a place of high concern, but those over 16 who are not double-dosed still cannot for recreation or a holiday.

- With AAP