Although COVID-19 cases are decreasing, the test positivity rate remains high. Photo: Region Media.
There have been 729 new COVID-19 cases recorded in the ACT in the 24 hours to 8 pm yesterday and the latest weekly epidemiological report from ACT Health shows case numbers continue to fall.
In the week ending 29 May, lower case numbers were reported across all age groups.
But despite this, the directorate says test positivity was still high, meaning elevated levels of community transmission and that people in the community have undiagnosed COVID-19.
Throughout the week, 5465 cases were reported in the ACT compared to 6297 cases in the previous week. The seven-day rolling mean fell to between 750 to 850 cases a day compared with last week’s 850 to 950.
The number of PCR tests conducted declined from 16,398 to 13,996, but the test positivity rate for PCR tests alone remained high – between 21 and 22 per cent.
Around 750 individuals have now reported more than one COVID-19 infection to ACT Health, but this number is expected to increase over time as immunity wanes from infection and vaccination, and new sub-variants or variants emerge.
This week the ACT recorded two new occurrences of the Omicron BA.2.12.1 subvariant, seven new occurrences of the Omicron BA.5 subvariant and the first detected cases of the Omicron BA.4 subvariant.
The Omicron BA.1 subvariant was also detected in three samples during the week. Before this, it had not been detected since March.
ACT hospitals also continue to care for a large number of patients affected by COVID-19.
Twenty-five people were admitted to hospital during the week compared with 30 in the previous week. The average age of hospitalisations was 56.
Today, there are 81 people hospitalised with the virus and one person is in the ICU. No one requires ventilation.
Yesterday, there were 82 people in hospital, including four in intensive care.
The additional 729 (372 PCR and 357 RAT) cases reported overnight bring the total number of active infections in the ACT to 4366 (2250 PCR and 2116 RAT).
Since the pandemic began, 134,286 (81,679 PCR and 52,607 RAT) infections have been reported locally.
The double-dose vaccination rate for the ACT’s five-plus population is 97.3 per cent and 76.7 per cent of residents aged 16 and older have now received a booster.
Of ACT residents aged five to 11, 68.3 per cent have received two doses of vaccine.
Interstate, NSW has reported 11 deaths overnight and 7412 new cases of COVID-19.
There are now 1254 people in hospital with the virus and 34 people in ICUs around the state.
Victoria has reported 22 deaths overnight and 9583 cases of COVID-19.
There are now 514 people hospitalised with the virus, while 29 patients are in the state’s intensive care units.
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