The ACT has reached one hundred daily COVID-19 cases for the first time with 102 infections in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

It is yet another daily record for Canberra and a jump from 85 cases yesterday and 58 on Wednesday.

It leaves the ACT with 334 active cases, the most in Canberra since 24 October.

Despite the record daily COVID-19 case numbers, Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the ACT’s “really high” vaccination rate should give people confidence ahead of the Christmas/New Year period.

Even with the large rise in cases over the last few days, hospitalisations are down with just two people now receiving treatment with active or cleared cases of the virus. None of them are in the ICU or requiring ventilation.

The total number of cases for the current outbreak now stands at 2,428.

COVID testing facilities across the ACT continue to experience high demand as Christmas approaches, with 5,075 negative tests returned in the past 24 hours.

Yesterday a total of 6,655 tests were completed, a “little bit down” on Tuesday and Wednesday’s figures. More than 36,000 tests have been processed over the past six days.

“To those who have been queueing, thank you very much for your patience,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.

“We recognise it is frustrating, it is the situation all around NSW, Victoria, South Australia, as well as here in the ACT.”

98.5 per cent of Canberrans aged 12 and over are now ‘fully vaccinated’ with two jabs.

Meanwhile, NSW recorded 5,612 COVID-19 cases and one death while Victoria reported 2,095 infections and eight deaths.

ACT prepares for shortened booster interval

Ms Stephen-Smith today said the Territory government has been working behind the scenes “for a number of weeks now” to prepare an increase in demand associated with the booster interval being brought forward from six to four months.

“We weren’t expecting it this soon,” she said.

From 4 January the ACT Government will work with primary care providers, general practices and pharmacies, to deliver COVID-19 vaccination boosters.

Over the next week the ACT Government will consider boosting staff at the AIS mass vaccination clinic, and sites for a second mass vaccination clinic to ensure everyone eligible can get a booster in the timeliest fashion possible.

“This doesn’t mean that everyone will be able to get their booster on day one when they’re eligible,” she said.

The AIS mass vaccination hub will be closing at 3.30pm this afternoon, 24 December, and won’t reopen until 8am 4 January.

Almost 50,000 Canberrans, or 14.4 per cent of Canberrans aged 18 and up, have already had a booster or a third dose.

9,700 children aged five-to-eleven have been booked in for a COVID-19 vaccination as at 12 noon today.

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