One week with no mandatory COVID-19 iso, ACT records one death, new variant detected

As the country’s first week without mandatory isolation for COVID-19 patients ends, the Territory has recorded a drop in reported infections.

In the week to 4 pm on Thursday, 20 October, 579 (265 PCR and 314 RAT) infections were reported to ACT Health.

This compares with 657 cases recorded last week.

The death of a man in his 80s was also reported to the health directorate. It brings the ACT’s pandemic death toll to 127.

As of yesterday, there were 49 people requiring hospitalisation for the virus, including one in the ICU. No one requires ventilation.

Active cases in the ACT are no longer reported.

Since March 2020, 207,667 infections have been recorded.

Of the Territory’s five to 15 population, 77.3 per cent have received two doses of vaccine; 78.3 per cent of those aged 16 and over have received three doses; 60.7 per cent of those aged 50 and over have received four doses.

Health’s weekly epidemiological report – which covers a different time period to the weekly update – showed the first rise in COVID-19 case numbers in three months. In the week ending Sunday, 16 October, 652 infections were recorded, compared to 563 in the two weeks prior.

Around 14 per cent of positive tests were repeat infections. ACT Health predicts this percentage to increase slowly over time due to waning immunity from vaccines and previous infections and as new variants or subvariants emerge.

PCR tests also increased to 3197 from 2924 in the previous week. Test positivity (how many tests return a positive result compared to the total number conducted) has been trending upward since early October.

For the week covered by the report, an average of 7 per cent was recorded for PCR testing only. Test positivity for RATs cannot be calculated, despite health authorities urging greater reliance on rapid antigen testing.

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith has described PCR testing as an expensive service experiencing a drop-off in demand.

PCR testing services have been scaled back across the Territory in recent weeks.

The Territory’s first case of the XBB recombinant variant was identified in a person who had recently returned from overseas.

That subvariant is currently of concern, Health said, as it “exhibits significant immune evasiveness”.

Interstate, over the past week, NSW recorded 8836 new cases (4388 RAT and 4448 PCR) and 22 people died with the virus.

There are now 876 COVID-19 patients in the state’s hospitals and 20 people in ICU.

Victoria recorded 6860 cases and 33 pandemic-related deaths.

The state’s seven-day rolling average for hospitalisations was 143 patients and nine people in the ICU.