SYDNEY: New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, reported on Monday 283 locally acquired cases of COVID-19, up from 262 a day earlier.

Total infections in the latest outbreak from the highly infectious Delta variant neared 5,500 for the state.

Of Monday's cases, at least 64 spent time in the community while infectious, the state's health department said in a statement.

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Authorities said a woman in her 90s died from the virus, bringing total deaths to 29 in the state during the latest outbreak.