The ACT has recorded 12 new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday, and there are now 12 people in hospital with or due to COVID-19.
Of the 12 people in hospital, three are in intensive care.
Six are linked to current exposure sites or to identified close contacts – all household contacts. Four remain under investigation and two cases have no known links at this stage.
Of the ACT’s 12 new cases, two were in quarantine throughout their entire infectious period, at least six were infectious in the community with four still under investigation.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said his government is weighing up whether to extend the city’s three-week lockdown scheduled to end on Thursday.Â
“The Delta strain is very, very challenging to contain and, as today’s data confirms, we still have people who are infectious in the community,” he told reporters today.
“We still have cases that don’t have a clear epidemiological link. This is concerning.
“We do not want all of the hard work over the last few weeks to go to waste by opening up too early.”
The total number of cases recorded in outbreak is now at 261 after a previously counted case was reclassified following additional testing.
To date, 25 of the ACT’s cases have fully recovered, an additional five from yesterday, meaning there are now 236 current active cases.
Since yesterday there are now just over 600 self-identified close contacts and just over 3,200 casual contacts in quarantine.
There are 191 current exposure locations across Canberra.
To date, 11 public sites of transmission have been recorded, with other transmission recorded through households, workplaces and other close contacts.
A total of 2,262 tests were conducted across the ACT yesterday.
“This number does need to lift,” Mr Barr said. “Get tested as soon as possible if you have any COVID-19 symptoms.”
ACT Policing yesterday conducted 284 traffic stops and issued five directions to leave the ACT.
Additionally, 133 business compliance checked were conducted, with “very good compliance” reported.
ACT residents aged 16-29-year-olds will be able to book their Pfizer vaccination in “the coming days”.
Around 25,000 Canberrans of a possible 64,000 in that age bracket have already registered via the MyDHR system.
The Chief Minister anticipates those aged 16 to 29 years will start receiving jabs in arms from late October-November.
With AAP
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