Coronavirus: ACT restrictions prolonged after South Coast outbreak

Chief health officer Kerryn Coleman said the outbreaks in NSW might still affect the territory, meaning it was too soon to relax the rules.

Her decision came as the number of Canberrans who were isolating after visiting the Soliders Club in Batemans Bay rose to more than 130.

The ACT was due to ease regulations on July 10, but those plans were put on hold for two weeks as the coronavirus situation escalated in Victoria.

Dr Coleman said it would now be at least another two weeks before the restrictions could be eased.

"While there are currently some good signs coming out of NSW, it is still very early days," Dr Coleman said.

"We need to continue to monitor the situation for a bit longer before we look to make any changes to ease restrictions in the ACT. This is to ensure we are in a good position to respond to cases here in the ACT should the need arise.

"The next two weeks will also give us the opportunity to look at the learnings coming out of Victoria and NSW and review our Stage 3 restrictions to ensure these align with the latest health advice."

NSW on Wednesday reported 16 new cases, one from hotel quarantine and the remainder all linked to known cases.

Stage 3 of the territory's road map would allow small venues to increase their capacity to 25 patrons. Outdoor gathering sizes would increase to 250 people, while pokies, casinos, strip clubs and brothels would be given the green light to open.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said Canberrans should avoid travelling within NSW.

"The COVID-19 situation is rapidly evolving, so it's critical for all Canberrans to be mindful of where they are travelling, and who they are interacting with," he said.

"The easiest way to avoid infection and reduce the risk of an outbreak in the ACT is to avoid any unnecessary travel outside of the territory.

"So far, the ACT community has done an outstanding job in responding to the threat of COVID-19. It has allowed the territory to carefully ease restrictions over the past few months without putting a strain on our health system.

"We all know what the impact of going backwards will be on our economy, and with new cases being confirmed everyday across NSW, we need to be more cautious."

Mr Barr said the easing of restrictions roadmap would now be assessed weekly.

"We are continuing to work with various industry partners on how the government can continue to help protect local jobs during this time, and we will outline further economic stimulus initiatives in the weeks ahead," he said.

There are now more than 600 Canberrans in self quarantine, including 133 who recently visited the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club.

Most of those people self-identified to ACT Health, while contact tracers tracked down a small number of people whose details were obtained from the venue.

There have been eight coronavirus cases linked the club, with those who attended on Monday July 13, and Wednesday July 15 through to Friday ordered to self-isolate.

Southern Health has confirmed a visitor who later tested positive to COVID-19 went to three clubs in the Eurobodalla Shire in July. The person was at Club Malua on July 7, 8 and 12, where the contact was described as "casual".

The case also also visited Narooma bowling club on July 13 and the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club on July 8 and 10. Health authorities are warning people who have attended the venues to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and get tested if they have concerns or if symptoms develop.

The ACT has now gone 12 days without recording a new coronavirus case. The territory on Wednesday completed one of its highest ever number of tests.

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ACT Health confirmed 1355 tests returned a negative result in the 24 hours prior. There have now been almost 44,000 negative tests for coronavirus in the ACT since the start of the pandemic.

The figures came as Victoria registered a record high number of new cases with 484 detected, the most of any Australian state or territory in a single day.