ACT records one death and eight new cases of COVID-19

A man in his 80s has become the 12th person to die in the ACT’s most recent COVID-19 outbreak as the Territory recorded eight new cases of the virus in the last reporting period to 8 pm last night.

ACT Health has advised that the man was receiving intensive care in hospital and had underlying health conditions.

With the new cases, there are now 79 active cases in the Territory. As at 8 pm last night, 1675 negative test results were returned.

Of the Territory’s 12-plus population, 98.1 per cent are now fully vaccinated.

There are a total of four active and cleared cases in ACT hospitals as of 8 pm yesterday, including two in intensive care. None are on a ventilator.

Yesterday, the ACT recorded three new cases of COVID-19, but only one was locally acquired.

Across the Territory, Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said more than 800 people are in quarantine.

This includes the 180 Omicron close contacts – and their household contacts – after a positive case of the variant attended Lyneham Primary School last week.

A total of 36 school campuses have been impacted by COVID-19 since all students returned to school earlier this term.

No new schools have been listed today on the ACT Government’s COVID-19 website.

New COVID-19 exposure locations identified overnight included cafes, restaurants and retail businesses. All were classified as casual exposure locations.

On Saturday, 4 December, YumCha in the CBD is listed as an exposure location between 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm, as is Spendless Shoes in Woden between 2:45 pm and 5:45 pm.

The same shoe shop is listed on Sunday between 10 am and 1 pm. RYE Cafe and Bar in Braddon is also a casual contact exposure site from 2 pm to 3 pm on the same day.

Today in NSW, there are 403 new cases and two deaths.

There are 151 people in hospitals across the state with the virus and 25 in ICU.

NSW Health said 94.7 per cent of the 16-plus population has received their first dose, and 92.9 per cent has had two doses.

Health authorities in the state are conducting urgent genomic sequencing to determine if five cases of COVID-19 linked to a boat party on Sydney Harbour are the Omicron variant.

The 140 people who attended the party are being contacted.

In Victoria, there are 1312 new cases and five deaths.

There are 303 Victorians hospitalised with COVID-19, and more than 91 per cent of the state’s eligible population (12 and over) is fully vaccinated.

Across the entire state, there are 11,331 active cases of the virus.

More to come.