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Friday, April 26, 2024

ACT records 2 new COVID-19 deaths, 5 new cases

The ACT has recorded two new COVID-19 related deaths along with five new coronavirus cases.

The deaths were a man in his 60s and a woman in her 70s who had both been receiving intensive care treatment.

The death toll for the current outbreak in the ACT is now ten.

There were just five new coronavirus cases recorded in the ACT overnight, the Territory’s lowest case number since 15 August.

Eight people are in hospital with COVID-19, three are in intensive care and three require ventilation.

The territory’s vaccine rate has increased slightly to 92.6 per cent of over 12s being fully vaccinated.

Testing, however, was down to just 978 negative tests in the past day.

There are now 170 active cases in the community.

It comes as ACT health authorities moves to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for disability support workers and community aged care staff.

The new public health order in the capital will require workers to have received their first dose by November 15 and be fully vaccinated by December 13.

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the decision followed a large number of talks with the sector.

It was originally proposed workers would need to be fully vaccinated by November 29 but the mandate was pushed back by two weeks after consultation.

“Stakeholders considered that the ACT’s public health direction should be more consistent with the approach taken with NSW,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.

“This is why we have a consultation process and I am confident that the direction to be signed today will meet the needs of the affected sectors while protecting the community.”

Healthcare workers and teachers in the ACT have already been mandated to be fully vaccinated.

Canberrans will be able to receive a booster shot from Monday.

People who have had their full course of a vaccine more than six months ago can now get the Pfizer top-up shot at a government clinic, regardless of which brand of vaccine they already had.

Immunocompromised Canberrans have already been able to get a booster shot.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the third dose would provide an extra layer of protection against COVID-19, as restrictions in the capital ease.

“Canberrans have shown an amazing enthusiasm for getting vaccinated and we expected that this will carry over into the booster program,” Mr Barr said.

With AAP

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