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Saturday, April 20, 2024

ACT records 19 new cases with 13 infectious in the community

The ACT has recorded 19 new cases overnight, 12 linked with nine household contacts, the remaining seven are still under investigation.

Of the ACT’s 19 new cases, four were in quarantine for their entire infectious period while at least 13 were in the community while infectious and two remain under investigation.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerryn Coleman said an additional “several cases” were recorded overnight have not been included in today’s numbers.

“I’ll be able to talk more about those exact numbers tomorrow,” she said.

12 people are currently hospitalised with or due to COVID-19, three are in ICU with two requiring ventilation.

Two of those patients are NSW residents.

Six are unvaccinated, three have received one dose, one is fully vaccinated, and the status of the remaining two are under investigation.

The patients range in age from their 30s to 90s.

The total cases for this outbreak is now 693 with 476 people recovered, an additional 13 overnight.

217 active cases remain.

Watson pop-up testing to run over weekend

Pop-up testing will run in Watson over this weekend. There have been thirty cases from the Watson area associated with this outbreak; almost half of those notified in the last two weeks. Photo: Denholm Samaras.

3455 tests were conducted yesterday, “a very solid number” according to ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr.

There were 3,123 negative test results in the 24 hours to 9am today.

Over the weekend pop-up testing will be conducted in Watson in response to a number of cases detected in the region of late.

There have been thirty cases from the Watson area associated with this outbreak; almost half of those notified in the last two weeks.

“In addition, we’re actually unable to confirm the source transmission for some of these cases,” Dr Coleman said.

Testing will be made available for anyone in the Watson area for anyone “with the mildest of symptoms”.

“I don’t know that there is a problem here, we don’t know that there is a concerning level of transmission in the community from these cases, but what we do know from NSW and Victoria is that we need to move very quickly.”

The exact details of the site will be made available on the ACT COVID-19 website and via ACT Health social media later in the day.

Over 83.5 per cent of eligible population have had at least one jab, while 57.5 per cent have received two doses.

The majority of the ACT’s older age cohorts, those who have long had access to vaccines, are at greater than 95 per cent with a first dose.

Mr Barr reported “exceptionally strong demand” from the 20,000 ACT residents aged 12-15 years, with many receiving their first dose of a Moderna vaccine through a pharmacy yesterday.

Anyone aged 12-59 are now eligible to make a booking for a Moderna vaccine through a community pharmacy.

The total number of vaccine doses administered at ACT Government clinics now stands at 290,525.

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