Eight more COVID-related deaths were reported along with the 1220 cases and 100,000 tests in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday, it was revealed at the Tuesday state update led by premier Gladys Berejiklian.

An average of 74 per cent of the state has had first doses of a COVID vaccine, Ms Berejiklian said.

"We're really pleased with those results and we ask people to keep coming forward and of course our message is, don't be left behind," she said.

"Don't be left behind when we start opening up. When we open up at 70 per cent double dose, it will be only for those who are vaccinated. There's time now to get your first dose and fit in your second dose before New South Wales starts opening up."

Another regional death in the Delta outbreak was recorded, with a woman aged in her 70s passing away in Dubbo Hospital on Monday, chief health officer Kerry Chant said.

In other news

Two people - a western Sydney woman in her 70s and a man in his 50s from Nepean Blue Mountains - died in Nepean Hospital.

A south western Sydney man in his 90s passed away in Campbelltown Hospital after acquiring his infection at an aged care home at Prestons Lodge.

A man in his 70s from south west Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital, and a man in his 90s from south east Sydney succumbed to illness at St George Hospital.

There are 1151 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital across NSW, with 192 people in intensive care and 75 requiring ventilation.

Aunty Pauline Deweerd, executive director of Aboriginal health at St Vincent's, has issued a plea for indigenous communities across the state to get vaccinated.

"I know what is being asked of us to do is sometimes hard," she said.

"I also know we want to come together and have the freedoms of what we have always enjoyed in coming together with mob. But right now, our mob need to survive this pandemic.

"Staying home and getting vaccinated is the way that we'll get through this."

While acknowledging vaccination is a choice, Ms Deweerd said vaccines "have always been part of our lives" and getting one "may save your life and keep the mob safe".

She also shared some of what she has seen when people come into the hospital, sick and alone with the virus.

"[One particular Aboriginal patient] was really unwell with COVID, being in ICU on a ventilator for many weeks, with no family around him," she outlined

"He's on the mend now and doing OK now. But he's scared and hopes he never gets the virus again and is now asking for a vaccine to prevent this ever happening to him again."

Regionally, there was a marked increase in cases on the Central Coast, deputy premier John Barilaro said.

"The Central Coast has seen a spike of 22 cases and we're calling out on that community to be vigilant, to get tested," he said.

The western NSW outbreak continues with a strong hold in Dubbo, and a total of 27 cases were detected across the Western NSW Local Health District [LHD] on Monday, health authorities say.

Eighteen new cases were recorded in Dubbo alone, Mr Barilaro said, where a raft of new venues of concern were listed overnight.

Elsewhere in the regions, 14 cases were detected in the Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, seven in Hunter New England, four in the Far West, two in Southern NSW.

Seven more cases were found in correctional settings, NSW Health said.

Dubbo has "no hope" of coming out of lockdown soon, Mr Barilaro said on Wednesday, as the Central West continues to rack up new cases.

Crisis cabinet will meet on Wednesday to discuss which regional areas will come out of lockdown.

However, in a glimmer of hope for the Riverina, the deputy premier has said it is "too early to call" whether the region will leave lockdown this weekend.

"There are big parts of regional and rural NSW that haven't got a case - have never had a case and haven't had a case in this outbreak - and I think you can't keep suppressing something that doesn't exist, and therefore hurting people in a way that these lockdowns do," Mr Barilaro added.

There are no known cases in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District [MLHD], however several new exposure sites for district were announced early on Tuesday afternoon.

They stemmed from an essential worker who stayed in Harden on Friday night, and has since tested positive.

The interstate, trans-Tasman situation

Anyone who attended the Harden IGA at 45 Neil Street between 4.45pm to 5.15pm on Friday, September 3, and South West Fuel in Albury street between 6.1am and a6.45am the following morning is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

Close and casual contacts from the accommodation venue, the Light Horse Hotel, have been identified and notified.

Dozens of workers at a southern Riverina pet food factory are isolating after a Wodonga truck driver stopped at the plant before testing positive to COVID-19.

Four workers had direct contact with the driver, and Staughton Group has temporarily closed the plant zone they were based in and directed other staff to get tested and isolate until negative results are received.

These instances follow the declaration of exposure sites at Coolac and Henty visited by a Victorian essential worker last week. They are now isolating outside the MLHD after testing positive to COVID-19.

More on the pandemic:

A Riverina bride-to-be decided to donate her bouquets to bring a little joy to the community after having to postpone her wedding for the second time.

Eurongilly resident Hannah Alexander said it was extremely disappointing to have to cancel the big day again due to the restrictions, but thought perhaps the blooms could brighten another person's day.

In what will be music to the ears of a hopeful many, one of Wagga's most popular race days has been rescheduled with the hopes of being able to draw a crowd post-lockdown.

The hugely popular Aggies race day was set to be held at MTC on Saturday week, September 18, a meeting that has attracted a crowd of around 7000 people in the past.

It's been moved to October 16, a logical gamble according to turf club president Geoff Harrison.

"At the end of the day, Aggies were happy to go for an extra couple of weeks and see what comes of it," Harrison said.

"That's all we can do. We might not be able to have crowds there until the end of October, or the end of Christmas time, who knows."

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