Canberra records one death, 786 new COVID-19 cases

There were 40 people in hospital to 8pm Monday, with four in intensive care and none being ventilated. A day earlier, there were 38 in hospital, with three in intensive care. Thirty-eight people have now died with COVID-19 in the ACT.

A total of 786 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Canberra in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday. There were 599 new infections reported the day before.

The total number of cases since the pandemic began over two years ago has hit 60,654.

The new cases reported on Tuesday brought the total number of active cases in the ACT to 3896, up from the 3880 reported on Monday.

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Canberrans have been urged to report their positive rapid antigen tests to ACT Health as some patients have been going without vital COVID treatments. Of the 599new cases reported on Sunday, 313 came from PCR tests and 286 from RATs.

Second-dose vaccination bookings have opened for children aged five to 11. Second jabs are available for children eight weeks after they have had their first dose.

The total number of people over five who are double vaccinated now comes in at 94.6 per cent.

A total of 70.7 per cent of people have received their booster, and 79.3 per cent of children aged five to 11 are vaccinated with a single dose.

A new, and more contagious, sub-lineage strain of Omicron is expected to become the dominant strain in the territory, health authorities have warned.

However, health authorities in the ACT are not considering back mask mandates.

The strain is likely to fuel a rise in case numbers within Canberra over the coming weeks but hospitalisations are expected to remain steady.

Early evidence has indicated the strain, named the BA.2 sub-lineage, was not more severe than earlier variants.

In addition planning is under way for a winter rise in COVID cases in the ACT, as authorities ensure there is enough bed capacity in the territory's hospitals and testing centres to handle demand.

The flu season likely to place even greater demand on the health system.

NSW has recorded 10,689 new COVID-19 cases and six deaths in the 24 hours to 4pm.

Case numbers dipped yesterday to 8911, down from 13,093 recorded on Sunday.

There are 1032 COVID-19 patients in hospital, with 38 in ICU.

Hospitalisation numbers are up on yesterday, when 1005 patients were being cared for, however ICU numbers are down on yesterday when 47 patients were in care.

Victoria has recorded four deaths in the 24 hours to midnight Monday with 7460 new cases.

There were a total of 197 hospitalisations, including 24 in ICU and six on ventilators.

Meanwhile, Tasmania has 1376 new cases and 14 hospitalisations, including three in ICU with seven patients being treated specifically for COVID-19.

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