The ACT has recorded two new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to nine active cases. None of these cases have been hospitalised.
One mystery case is a man in his twenties with “no obvious links” to other cases; an investigation is underway to determine the source of the infection.
The second case is linked to Fiction nightclub that is a close contact exposure site from Saturday 7 August 9pm to 4.45am on Sunday 8 August.
While health authorities have confirmed the Canberra outbreak is linked to the Sydney Delta outbreak, investigations continue into how the virus made its way into the ACT.
Further ACT exposure sites were added this morning, including the Southern Cross Club Stadium in Tuggeranong. ABC News is reporting one of the confirmed cases is a member of Basketball ACT, and two cases are now linked to Gold Creek School.
There are around 52 exposure sites in the ACT and approximately 5,900 people who are considered close contacts.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the additional exposure sites are creating more pressure on testing locations, especially at the Weston testing facility.
Mr Barr urged Canberrans who needed to be tested to go to the Brindabella Park drive-through testing centre if possible.
From tomorrow, ACT Health will deploy 16 Australian Defence Force staff at COVID testing sites across the Territory.
Mr Barr said a record 5,943 COVID-19 tests were undertaken across the ACT on Saturday.
“This really, really high level of testing is such an important surveillance tool for the ACT,” the Chief Minister told reporters on Sunday.
He welcomed the decision by the NSW government to lockdown the entire state from Saturday.
“That gives us an extra layer of protection,” he said.
“Whether you are on the ACT or NSW side of the border in the Canberra region, everyone is in the same situation now.”
Mr Barr said the best thing for everyone to do is stay at home.
“We are aware of the challenges the cross-border situation presents and we’re working with our NSW counterparts to make it as straightforward as possible,” he said.
“The simple message, unless you absolutely have to travel, unless you absolutely need to leave home, don’t … right at the moment.”
Mr Barr also noted that Prime Minister Scott Morrison had announced an additional one million Pfizer vaccine doses had been secured.
It will mean an additional 14,000 doses for the ACT.
“We anticipate that they will be available to us later in the week,” he said.
“It is a welcome boost to supply.”
But to put it into perspective, he said it is roughly the equivalent of one week’s worth of doses that are being undertaken by ACT government clinics.
“It will allow us to do more but it isn’t such a dramatic increase in supply that will allow us to do radically more,” he said.
Newstate Media with AAP
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