ACT COVID case numbers continue a gradual rise as the territory winds back restrictions.
The ACT government says it will continue to publish case numbers over the weekend, and a note on the latest figures saying the "next update will be on Monday" only applied to vaccination figures. An earlier version of this article said the ACT would stop updating case numbers on the weekend based off that note.
The government stopped publishing media releases with details on Thursday.
It comes as the territory records 561 new cases in the 24 hours to Thursday evening. The seven-day rolling average for cases has been gradually rising over recent days, after starting to drop about a month ago, but still remains well below their peak.
There are 45 people in ACT hospitals with the coronavirus, with two in intensive care and one of these on a ventilator. That's a drop in each category compared with Thursday's report, when there were 47 people in hospitals, with three in intensive care and two of these on ventilators. A man died with COVID on Wednesday.
There are now 2706 active COVID cases in the ACT. Up from 2565 reported the day before.
Of the new cases, 265 were detected from PCR tests, and 296 from rapid antigen tests. There have been 43,768 cases since March 2020.
The government did not publish new vaccination figures.
Restrictions to ease
Density limits will be scrapped and dancing is allowed in Canberra venues as the ACT relaxes COVID restrictions in line with NSW and Victoria.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the restrictions will be eased from 6pm on Friday.
Last week, the ACT government said it had no intention of ditching density limits but has backtracked following announcements in NSW and Victoria.
Masks rules will also be wound back from next week, despite Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith saying they would likely be in place until at least the end of winter. However, no details are available yet on what those changes will be.
Around Australia
NSW recorded 9243 new COVID-19 cases and 15 deaths in the 24 hours to 4pm Thursday.
There are 1381 COVID-19 patients in hospital, with 92 in ICU. Hospitalisation numbers are down on the previous day, when 1447 patients were being cared for, while ICU numbers continue to remain steady at 92 patients.
It comes as the state sees an easing of restrictions with singing and dancing back in hospitality venues and QR codes abandoned for everything except music festivals and nightclubs.
Victoria has recorded 6935 new COVID-19 cases and 14 deaths, as the state prepares to wind back several restrictions.
The fresh infections include 4329 from rapid antigen tests and 2606 from PCR tests, the health department confirmed on Friday.
The state is managing 48,852 total active cases, down from more than 50,000 on Thursday.
Hospitalisations with the virus have grown by 50, with 451 Victorian patients in hospital, up from 401 on Thursday.
Tasmania has recorded 623 new COVID-19 infections, more than 50 fewer than the previous day's tally.
The cases include 138 positive results from PCR tests and 485 from rapid antigen tests, the health department said on Friday.
Friday's figure represents a decrease of 57 cases from the 680 infections reported on Thursday, with the state now dealing with 3406 active cases.
The number of people in hospital with the virus has also declined, with 11 patients in hospital down from 16 on Thursday.
