The ACT has recorded three new cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, taking the total in Canberra to five.

Of the three new infections of the variant detected yesterday, two are household contacts of earlier cases and one a casual contact.

ACT Health announced one of the cases attended Lyneham Primary School on 30 November and 1 December, sending 180 people into a 14-day quarantine.

All year 1 and 2 students at school on those dates have to get tested and quarantine along with any student that attended before school care or after school care.

Despite the arrival of Omicron cases in the ACT, Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the territory government was not looking to immediately implement further restrictions

However, a return to masks for indoor settings may be considered.

“We are putting on hold consideration for the further easing of restrictions,” Ms Stephen-Smith told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

“We might move to (indoor mask wearing) but no decision has been made on that.”

However, due to Omicron cases, close contacts and household contacts will still need to undergo 14 days of quarantine, regardless of their vaccination status.

“It’s about taking a precautionary approach, where there’s so much uncertainty and making sure we’re continuing to protect the community,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.

“There is a lot we don’t know about the rate of transmission, which seems higher than Delta, and we don’t know what the severity of illness is likely to be, but it appears to be relatively mild.”

Early reports suggest Omicron variant has milder symptoms

There are some health officials around the world calling it a hopeful sign that Omicron may have milder symptoms than previous variants, however it is still too early to be definitive.

A recent report issued by the South African Medical Research Council said most of the patients in a Pretoria hospital who are infected with Omicron were hospitalised for other medical reasons.

Of the 42 Omicron patients, 70 per cent of them have no trouble breathing and do not need oxygen support.

The report read; “This is a picture that has not been seen in previous waves, even at the start of previous waves, most hospitalised COVID patients have had trouble breathing. “More time is required to fully answer the questions about the severity of COVID-19 caused by the new Omicron variant.”

Dr. Erica Pan, a California state epidemiologist, is heartened by that preliminary assessment.

“It is very early, and patient population is young, but encouraging early data suggesting less oxygen needed for patients and less severity,” Pan tweeted.

With AAP

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