Canberra has recorded a large spike in COVID cases with 462 new infections on New Year’s Eve.

It’s a new daily high for the ACT, up 209 on yesterday’s previous record of 253.

There are still six people in hospital with active or cleared cases of the virus. None are in the ICU or requiring ventilation.

Active COVID cases in the ACT have jumped to 1,658 while there have been 3,886 total COVID-19 infections recorded since the Canberra lockdown began in August.

4,211 negative tests were returned in the past 24 hours while 98.5 per cent of Canberrans are ‘fully vaccinated’.

The Garran COVID testing centre will prioritise testing for close and casual contacts, people who have symptoms of COVID-19 or returned international travellers again today. 

Other people looking to get tested can head to the Mitchell, Kambah or Nicholls facilities. Click here for wait times.

Changes to quarantine requirements

Meanwhile, isolation periods for COVID-positive cases and close contacts will be slashed and the ACT will more heavily rely on rapid antigen tests (RATs).

All close contacts, including unvaccinated people, currently in quarantine in the ACT and who have received a negative result from their day 6 test, can now leave quarantine from day 7.

Close contacts should still stay out of high risk settings, like hospitals and aged care facilities, for another 7 days unless you are seeking urgent medical care or have prior approval.

Positive rapid tests will need to be confirmed by a PCR test.

Click here for full details on quarantine requirements.

With more reliance on RATs, Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced that the ACT will receive around one million RATs from the NSW at a cost from 17 January 2022.

It comes as NSW reported a record 21,151 new coronavirus cases and Queanbeyan reported a new high of 70 infections today.

Get all the latest Canberra news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Canberra Daily Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.