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Southern NSW Local Health District recorded two cases of COVID-19 in the Queanbeyan - Palerang region, one is under investigation and one is linked. One case is in Queanbeyan and one is in Karabar.

This brings the total cases in SNSWLHD to 407 since the start of the current outbreak in June. Four cases have been removed from the cumulative total as they were reallocated to other LHDs and the ACT.

Zero new cases were recorded in the Southern Highlands as of 8pm on October 18.

However one new case was recorded in the Southern Highlands on October 16. There have been 80 cases of COVID-19 in the region since the current outbreak began in June.

More than 95 per cent of residents in the Southern Highlands have received a single dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, while more than 90 per cent of residents in the Southern Tablelands have also received their first COVID-19 jab.

According to the Australian Government Department of Health website as of October 17, 85.5 per cent of residents in the Southern Highlands had received a second COVID-19 jab.

However, only 66 per cent of residents in the Goulburn - Mulwaree region are fully in vaccinated.

In the Queanbeyan-Palerang region 66.1 per cent of residents are fully vaccinated.

In the Yass Valley region, 73.3 per cent of residents are fully vaccinated.

In the Upper Lachlan region, 75 per cent of residents are fully vaccinated.

Across NSW, 273 cases of COVID-19 were recorded, and more than 95,00 people were tested for the virus in the 24 hours up to October 18, 8 pm.

The community is reminded to remain vigilant for symptoms and get tested if any appear, no matter how mild. Symptoms include cold or flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough or shortness of breath. People with mild symptoms, such as fatigue, new muscle aches or pains, a change in taste or smell or a new runny nose, should also arrange testing as quickly as possible.

High rates of testing are critical to detecting transmission and preventing further spread of COVID-19 in the community.

Find out where you can get tested for COVID-19 here.

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