The ACT has recorded 704 new COVID cases and no deaths as the ACT Government announced the public health settings could change in the coming months.

There are now 30 people in hospital with the virus with one requiring ventilation.

The ACT has now posted 58,687 total COVID cases since the start of the pandemic and 37 virus-related deaths.

70.1 per cent of ACT residents aged 16 and over have had three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 79 per cent of 5 to 11 years olds have received one jab.

ACT Government’s winter warning

Meanwhile the ACT Government has released a statement saying that the current public health settings could be altered in response to the a new variant.

“The ACT’s decision making on winter public health settings will continue to be supported by the latest health advice, as it has throughout the pandemic,” the statement read.

“The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) will meet in the near future to make recommendations on key settings over the winter. Further detail of any proposed measures and the implications will then be considered out-of-session by National Cabinet.

“The ACT may need to tighten health measures in response to a new COVID-19 variant, particularly if increased transmission leads to pressure on health system capacity.

“Any new restrictions will be proportionate to the level of risk, with a focus on reducing impacts on our hospital and public health systems and protecting vulnerable Canberrans.  

“Should the situation deteriorate, we will move promptly to respond. As we have seen throughout the pandemic, it would be too late to introduce stronger measures if our hospital system is overwhelmed.

“Canberra Health Services are putting in place workforce plans in response to an expected increase in demand. The ACT Government will also support communication strategies to encourage the influenza vaccination in the ACT over the coming months.”

ACT Epidemiological Update

The ACT also released a new epidemiological update on the current COVID situation, saying there has been an emergence of a new Omicron variant in the region, but it is unlikely to result in a rise in hospitalisations.

“Like many jurisdictions, the ACT has experienced a slight increase in our rolling average of COVID-19 cases, as well as an emergence of the BA.2 Omicron variant in the community,” they said.

“The spread of the BA.2 variant is expected to result in a further increase in cases for the Territory. Daily case numbers may increase to around 800 per day by the end of this week, and we anticipate the BA.2 strain will become the dominant strain of the virus in the Territory over the coming weeks.

“Modelling from ACT Health and Canberra Health Services suggest that the new variant is unlikely to result in an increase in hospitalisations, which have stabilised in the past few weeks at around 30-40 patients in hospital with COVID-19, and around 1-3 COVID-19 positive patients in ICU.”

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