DEPUTY premier John Barilaro is confident that most regional local government areas (LGAs), including Lithgow, will be able to come out of lockdown on August 28.
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A seven-day extension to the stay-at-home orders for regional NSW was announced on Thursday morning following crisis cabinet talks on Wednesday.
Mr Barilaro said the growing number of cases in regional areas forced the NSW Government to extend the lockdown, which was originally meant to end at 12.01am on Sunday.
"With what we've seen over the past few days, we have made the announcement this morning (Thursday) that the lockdown for regional/rural NSW will continue for a further seven days, taking it to August 28, in line with when a decision around Sydney will be made," he said.
"... And the reasoning behind that is based on, of course, the numbers that were reported today (Thursday), and, of course, the continuation of those numbers."
As of 8pm Wednesday, there were 167 cases in the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD), with 25 new cases identified in the previous 24 hours.
One of those positive cases was initially identified in the Bathurst LGA, reported to be an inmate at Bathurst Correctional Centre, however it was later deemed to be a Dubbo case.
COVID-positive inmates had been linked to the Bathurst jail earlier in this outbreak.
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But Mr Barilaro has reassured that cases occurring in people in detention should not impact Lithgow's ability to come out of lockdown on August 28.
"If we've got no new cases leading into next weekend in a community, and those previous cases are all in isolation and being monitored, that's not going to be counted towards not lifting [a lockdown for] a community," he said.
"If we are managing it and they are isolating, there is no risk to the community. That's not what's going to hold anyone back, especially if they are in a correctional detention centre. The reality is, there's no risk to the community."
Mr Barilaro said the NSW Government plans to release a roadmap next week that shows the path out of lockdown for the state.
When communities can satisfy the criteria for lifting lockdowns, they will be able to be released.
"What we'll flag next week is what is the roadmap for Sydney to get out, what does September, what does October, what does November look like. The principles of that roadmap apply to any part of the state," Mr Barilaro said.
"Most of regional and rural NSW next Saturday, I believe, will come back to the freedoms we had previously to the lockdown."
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