It is the highest daily case tally for the local government area since the beginning of the pandemic.

NSW revealed 1468 COVID-19 cases emerged across the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District in the 24 hours to 4pm, made up of 703 PCR tests and 765 positive rapid antigen tests.

Wollongong residents accounted for 725 cases, while 297 were from Shellharbour and 66 were from Kiama.

Read more: Body located in Lismore floodwaters believed to be Shoalhaven nurse Alina Brakel

It comes as residents at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 are now eligible to receive a second booster dose of the vaccine, ahead of winter.

They include those aged 65 and over, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 and over, residents of aged care and disability care facilities, and severely immunocompromised people aged 16 and over.

Eligible residents can get their winter booster shot four months after their first booster.

The online booking system is being updated for these second boosters, so in the interim people can call 1300 096 365 or submit an online form to book an appointment.

Statewide, 25,495 new infections and two deaths were recorded in Friday's update.

These were a man in his 50s from western NSW who had received four doses of a COVID vaccine and had significant underlying health conditions, and a man in his 70s from the Central Coast, who was not vaccinated and also had significant underlying health conditions.

In NSW 2433 people have now died with COVID.

There are 1345 people with COVID in hospital, including 43 people in intensive care.

Thirteen patients are on ventilators.

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