ACT Health has reported the deaths of three people with COVID, bringing the total number of lives lost in the ACT to 37.
ACT Health has advised of the deaths of a man in his 70s, a man in his 80s and a woman in her 80s with COVID-19. Two of these deaths occurred in the reporting period - the 24 hours up to 8pm Thursday - and one was in February.
There were 31 people in hospital to 8pm Thursday, with one in intensive care and being ventilated. A day earlier, there were 37 in hospital, with two in intensive care and one of them being ventilated.
There were 791 new COVID-19 cases in Canberra in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday. There were 821 new infections the previous day.
The new cases reported on Friday brought the total number of active cases in the ACT to 3899, up from the 3771 reported on Thursday.
BA.2 Omicron
Health authorities in the ACT are not considering bring back mask mandates in response to the more transmissible BA.2 sub-lineage of COVID-19, even though the new type of the virus is expected to drive up case numbers.
The acting chief health officer, Dr Vanessa Johnston, said Canberrans should still consider wearing masks indoors when they were unable to socially distance, but stricter public health measures were not yet needed.
Planning is also under way to manage a winter wave of COVID-19 infections, including surveillance work to identify when new variants come into the ACT.
Dr Johnston said health authorities had thought the daily case rate of COVID-19 in the ACT would continue to decline before increased transmission in the winter months led to a new peak.
RAT reporting
Canberrans have been urged to report their positive rapid antigen tests to ACT Health as some patients have been going without vital COVID treatments. Of the 791 new cases reported on Friday, 456 came from PCR tests and 335 from RATs.
Second-dose vaccination bookings have opened for children aged five to 11. Second jabs are available for children eight weeks after they have had their first dose.
The total number of people over five who are double vaccinated now comes in at 93.8 per cent.
A total of 70.1 per cent of people have received their booster, and 79 per cent of children aged five to 11 are vaccinated with a single dose.
- For available appointments, call the ACT COVID-19 vaccination booking line on (02) 5124 7700.
Around Australia
NSW has reported the deaths of seven people from COVID-19 as new infections declined to 14,034.
The daily number posted Friday represents a fall of 2254 cases from the previous 24-hour reporting period.
There are currently 998 people hospitalised with 39 in intensive care units.
NSW Health reports 56.5 per cent of people have had three doses of a vaccine.
Nearly 80 per cent of children aged 12-15 have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and 48.1 per cent of five to 11-year-olds have had one jab.
Another 6811 COVID-19 infections and 10 deaths have been reported in Victoria.
The cases include 4307 from rapid antigen tests and 2504 from PCR lab tests, the health department confirmed on Friday.
The number of Victorians in hospital declined overnight by three, to 185 patients.
This includes 27 people in intensive care with three on ventilation.
There are 46,263 active cases in the state.
Tasmania has recorded 1129 new coronavirus cases, a slight drop from 24 hours earlier, as the island state prepares to wind back mask restrictions.
Friday's new infections come after 1167 on Thursday, 1109 on Wednesday, 1051 on Tuesday and 784 on Monday.
Documented active cases have risen to 6192, continuing an upward trend since a dip to 3033 in mid-February.
There are 16 people with the virus in hospital, with eight of those being treated for COVID-19. Four patients are in intensive care, a drop of one from Thursday.
