The Northern Territory's COVID-19 cases in hospital have risen to 48, up from 43 on Tuesday, with seven patients requiring oxygen.
There are no longer any COVID-19 patients in intensive care, with one person there yesterday since moved to a ward.
Health Minister Natasha Fyles said that 418 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the Northern Territory in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, down from a record 625 cases in the previous 24 hours.
Of those cases, 355 were detected from rapid antigen tests.
There were 1,647 PCR tests processed during the last reporting period.
Ms Fyles said the average number of cases in the NT over the past seven days was 452, slightly up on the previous seven-day average of 442.
There are 4,065 active cases across the NT, a slight decrease from the total on Tuesday.
The remote communities of Yuendumu and Yuelamu, which are both in lockout, have recorded 14 and seven new cases respectively.
Ms Fyles said the vaccination rate in Yuendumu had risen to 83 per cent first dose and 65 per cent double-dose, up from 62 and 35 per cent respectively a month ago.
"It's good progress in Yuendumu, but those case numbers are concerning, [and] we expect them to rise," she said.
In Arnhem Land, the locked-down community of Galwin'ku recorded seven new cases, bringing the total number of cases in the community to 34.
Ms Fyles said a rapid assessment team, as well as additional police, had been sent to the community to assist with testing and vaccination.
Yirrkala, which is also in lockdown, recorded one new case.
Ms Fyles said the lockdown in Yirrkala was on track to end, as scheduled, on Thursday.
Ms Fyles said three cases had been recorded in the Groote Eylandt community of Umbakumba.
She said the cases were linked but the source of transmission was unknown.
In Central Australia, three new cases were recorded at the Old Timers aged care facility in Alice Springs, bringing total cases at the facility to 18 — eight among staff and 10 among residents.
There were new cases recorded at the Abbott's, Little Sisters, Morris Soak and Old Timers town camps, and two cases at the Percy Court transitional housing facility in Alice Springs.
There were also five new cases recorded in Utopia, three new cases in Santa Teresa and 10 new cases at an outstation near Hermannsburg.
In the Big Rivers region, there were four new cases in Bulla, two cases in Lajamanu and one case in Katherine, which was recorded at the police watch house.
In Darwin, there were new cases recorded at a renal hostel in Nightcliff, a sobering-up shelter and a Salvation Army hostel.
An individual camping in the Fannie Bay area tested positive, prompting a contact tracing effort including Danila Dilba sending out a mobile team.
No new cases were recorded at the Darwin or Alice Springs prisons, which have both reported cases in previous days.
Private hospital providing extra capacity
On Tuesday, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt reminded states and territories that an agreement struck in 2020, for private hospitals to help the public health system with capacity, could still be used.
A spokesman from the Darwin Private Hospital yesterday confirmed that agreement had now been enacted with Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH).
"Darwin Private Hospital is working closely with NT Health and Royal Darwin Hospital on the Territory's COVID response," he said.
"We have made a ward available and are accepting non-COVID patients from Royal Darwin as needed to help ease pressure on public beds.
"We are also continuing to admit private patients for treatment and undertake elective surgery."
Today, Ms Fyles said RDH had enacted the agreement as part of an "operational decision".
"We haven't needed it over the last 20 months, but that has been stepped up," she said.
She said health system capacity in the NT "remains within scope of our resources".
Commonwealth applies Biosecurity Act to communities
On Wednesday morning, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced tighter restrictions on movement in and out of Yirkkala, Elcho Island, the Wessel Islands, Yuendumu, Yuelamu and Amoonguna.
The restrictions, applied under the Commonwealth Biosecurity Act, "prevent a person from entering or exiting" the areas.
That determination will be in place until 2pm on Thursday in Yirrkala, 3pm on Sunday in Yuendamu, Yuelamu and Amoonguna, and 2pm on Monday for Elcho Island and the Wessel Islands.
Mr Hunt said the measures were based on medical advice from the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer and were also requested by the Northern Territory government.
People who breach the order could be subject to jail term of five years or face a fine of up to $60,000.
