10 June 2022

ACT records 68th pandemic death; changes to testing centres

| Ian Bushnell
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COVID testing sign

There will be important changes to COVID-19 testing centres this weekend. Photo: Region Media.

Another person has died with COVID-19 in the Territory and ACT Health has confirmed 824 new cases, up from 775 yesterday.

The latest death is a woman in her 70s. That brings the number of people in the ACT who have died with the virus to 68.

The number of patients with COVID-19 in hospital fell to 83, with one person in ICU but not being ventilated.

Of the new cases, 461 tested positive through a PCR test and 363 by a rapid antigen test. The number of active cases is 4,080 (2,273 PCR and 1,807 RAT). The total number of cases since the start of the pandemic is 138,919.

Of children aged 5 to 11, 80.6 are now vaccinated, 68.4 per cent have had two doses, 97.3 per cent over five are double-dosed, and of those over 16, 76.9 per cent have had three doses.

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The latest epidemiological report for the week ending 5 June shows a decrease in both case numbers and PCR testing numbers for the third week in a row, yet the number of positive tests remains high, indicating undiagnosed cases in the community.

The report also says that ACT found its first recombinant variant, or combination of two Omicron sub-variants, which has been reported in several cases elsewhere in Australia this year and is being monitored.

The seven-day rolling mean decreased to between 650-750 cases per day compared to 750-850 cases per day reported in the previous week.

Hospital admissions also declined, to 27 new hospital admissions, compared to 38 in the week before. The average age of hospital admission was 62 years, showing that older people continue to be at highest risk from COVID-19.

ACT Health has announced important changes to COVID-19 testing centres this weekend.

From 3:50 pm today, the Nicholls (Gold Creek) centre will be closed permanently and its staff will take over operations at the Mitchell drive-through testing centre.

ACT Health says this will allow Mitchell’s current Canberra Health Services (CHS) staff to be redeployed to Canberra Hospital and elsewhere across the healthcare system as needed.

Tomorrow, the Mitchell drive-through testing centre will only be distributing rapid antigen tests (RATs) to allow staff from Nicholls to set up their operations at the Mitchell site.

But from Sunday, it will open for all age groups and a new dedicated Park and Test bay will be set up to allow children and babies under five years to get tested.

The Mitchell centre will remain open on the Queen’s Birthday public holiday on Monday from 10:30 am to 6 pm, along with the testing centres at Garran (7:30 am to 9 pm), Holt Capital Pathology (8 am to 12 noon) and Kambah (8 am to 12 noon).

From Tuesday, the Mitchell drive-through testing centre will operate with expanded opening hours from 8 am to 6 pm daily.

Other ACT COVID-19 walk-in and drive-through testing centres at Holt, Garran and Kambah will continue to operate as normal.

Winnunga Nimmityjah respiratory clinic will continue to operate and provide testing services for First Nations people while appointments can be booked at YourGP@Crace and Ochre Medical Centre Lakeview general practitioners.

For all ACT COVID-19 testing centre locations and opening hours, visit www.covid19.act.gov.au/testing-locations.

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Interstate, NSW has reported 11 deaths overnight and 7551 new cases of COVID-19.

There are now 1250 people in hospital with the virus and 41 people in ICUs around the state.

Yesterday there were 21 deaths and 8201 new cases.

Victoria has reported 19 deaths overnight and 8025 cases of COVID-19.

There are now 512 people hospitalised with the virus, while 21 patients are in the state’s intensive care unit.

Yesterday there were 22 deaths and 8903 cases.

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