The ACT has recorded its highest number of people in hospital with COVID-19 in over 10 weeks.
There were 64 people in Canberra hospitals with COVID in the 24 hours to 8pm Monday, including two people in intensive care and one on ventilation. The day before there were 58 people in hospital with the same number of patients in intensive care and ventilation.
The last time the ACT had that many COVID hospitalisations was on February 4, when 65 patients were in hospital with the virus.
But while overall hospitals numbers have increased the number of patients in intensive care has remained steady.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith has previously said that a common trend was that half the people hospitalised with COVID in the ACT are actually classified as recovered cases but were still receiving treatment due to virus-related reasons.
The ACT reported 816 new infections to 8pm on Monday. This takes the territory's pandemic case tally to 94,486. In the previous reporting period there were 734 cases recorded for the territory.
The tally for COVID-19-related deaths in the capital remains at 47.
The ACT now has 5097 active cases of coronavirus, down from 5408 reported in the previous period. Of the new cases, 320 were reported through PCR tests and 496 via rapid tests.
Meanwhile, the wait time PCR testing at the drive-in clinic in Kambah is over two hours.
New infection numbers for Good Friday and Easter Sunday were delayed due to public holidays.
In the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday the ACT recorded 932 new cases.
For the period to 8pm on Saturday there were 697 new infections recorded for the territory.
The ACT government has released a breakdown of current cases by age:
- 0-4: 42 (5 per cent)
- 5-11: 37 (5 per cent)
- 12-17: 42 (5 per cent)
- 18-24: 96 (12 per cent)
- 25-39: 283 (35 per cent)
- 40-49: 118 (14 per cent)
- 50-64: 129 (16 per cent)
- 65+: 69 (8 per cent)
Latest vaccination rates
The first-dose vaccination rate for children aged five to 11 is at 80.6 per cent.
Meanwhile, fully vaccinated people aged over five make up 96.7 per cent of the ACT population. The percentages have decreased from 98.7 per cent due to a revision in ACT Health's population estimate. The proportion of people triple-vaxxed rose to 74.5 per cent.
Expected changes to close-contact rules
An announcement is expected this week on possible changes to close-contact isolation rules for people exposed to COVID-19.
The ACT cabinet was briefed by Chief Health Officer Dr Kerryn Coleman on Wednesday, and there will be further discussions after the Easter long weekend.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr on Thursday said the ACT was working with other states and territories, and expected rules would remain consistent across the eastern states.
While he wasn't prepared to give a direct answer on possible adjustments to the close-contact rules, which he said was a "complex" issue with pros and cons on both sides, he said the ACT government recognised the need to keep the economy moving.
It comes after workers at Canberra Airport were given exemptions from close-contact isolation rules for the Easter long weekend until after Anzac Day.
Around Australia
NSW has reported 10,856 new COVID infections and eight deaths in the past 24 hours. This number was down from the 11,166 cases reported on Monday.
There were 1623 people in hospital, with 70 in intensive care.
Meanwhile, Victoria has reported seven deaths and 7918 new COVID-19 cases. The daily tally is up from 7918 infections announced on Monday.
There were 443 people in hospital with the virus across the state with 31 in the ICU and 10 under ventilation.
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