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Friday, March 29, 2024

ACT records 138 COVID-19 cases, four in hospital

The ACT has recorded 138 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm last night as changes are made to alleviate pressure on testing facilities.

It is a drop of 114 after yesterday’s daily record of 252 coronavirus cases in Canberra.

The number of people hospitalised has risen by one, with four people now in hospital with the virus. None are in the ICU or requiring ventilation.

There are now 1,028 active cases in Canberra with 3,187 total COVID-19 infections recorded since the ACT lockdown began in August.

3,041 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 today prioritise testing for close and casual contacts, people who have symptoms of COVID-19 or returned international travellers. 

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

Change to casual exposure sites

ACT Health downgraded their advice for many locations identified as casual exposure sites to ‘monitor for symptoms,’ in response to the increased presence of COVID-19 in the community.

They will instead focus on high risk settings and vulnerable populations. 

“ACT Health is continually adjusting the public health response to focus on identifying those who are at highest risk of exposure and those most likely to develop severe illness,” it said in a statement.

Asymptomatic people do not need to quarantine and are not required to take a COVID-19 test.

Those in quarantine from the reclassified sites are able to leave immediately and do not need to wait to hear from ACT Health providing they do not have any symptoms.

People who visited these sites are being told to remain vigilant and get a PCR test and isolate until a negative result is received if symptoms develop.

The updated requirements don’t apply to casual contacts who have had interactions with a confirmed case.

Police called to testing incidents

Queuing chaos continues across the territory with police needing to be called out to respond to a number of incidents.

The officer in charge of the ACT policing COVID-19 taskforce Acting Inspector Ben Willis said incidents stemmed from people taking their frustrations out on staff at testing clinics. 

“If the testing centre has reached capacity and staff have to turn you away, please follow their directions so ACT police do not have to attend and assist you on your way,” he said.

“It is not fair on ACT policing, it is not fair on the rest of the community who need ACT policing services and it is certainly not fair on ACT Health staff who are working under tremendous pressure at this time.”

Acting inspector Willis asked people in the territory to keep up to date with testing and travel requirements, saying some people may not need a test anymore. 

“Consider if you do need to be tested. The reasons for people to be tested have changed,” he said.

With AAP

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