The ACT has reported 15 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm Tuesday.
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There are six people hospitalised with active and cleared cases of COVID-19, three of whom are in intensive care, with two requiring ventilation.
The new cases bring the active total to 188, while the number of cases associated with this outbreak now stands at 1963.
There were 3817 negative tests received in the 24 hours to 9am Wednesday, a jump from Tuesday's reporting which saw 1556 negative tests returned.
Meantime, the percentage of the eligible population who are now fully vaccinated has reached 97.4 per cent.
Health Minister backflips on paid tests
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith has been forced to revise advice on PCR tests for domestic travel for a second time, after she was contradicted by federal Health Minister Greg Hunt.
Ms Stephen-Smith said people who required confirmation of a negative COVID-19 result via text, would not have to pay for PCR tests for interstate travel at government-run clinics.
She clarified that people who required a certificate of their result would have to pay a fee of $112.
Meantime, Pfizer doses are going to waste in ACT pharmacies as takeup of booster vaccines lags, despite Canberra chemists already taking a step back from the rollout.
Erindale Pharmacy had only administered 11 doses of Pfizer since November 14, managing director and ACT Pharmacy Guild Branch president Simon Blacker said.
Mr Blacker did not have figures for the total wastage of Pfizer doses across ACT pharmacies, but cited Erindale Pharmacy as an example, where four vials had been opened, but only 11 of 24 possible doses administered.
Around Australia
Southern NSW reported six new COVID-19 cases in the region on Wednesday, as the state recorded a total 248 COVID-19 cases and two deaths.
Three of the new cases are in Jindabyne, with two under investigation and one linked to a known case.
Two are in Bungendore and one is in Googong. The Googong case was acquired overseas and the Bungendore cases are under investigation.
NSW Health reports there are 195 COVID patients in hospital and 35 of them are in ICU.
Now 92 per cent of adults in the state are fully vaccinated and 94.4 per cent have had one jab.
Victoria has recorded 1196 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths, with the proportion of the population vaccinated still at 89 per cent.
The new infections bring the number of active cases in the state to 9774, including 284 in hospital.
Fifty-two people in intensive care are actively infectious, while 53 of them have been cleared of the virus and 29 are on a ventilator.
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