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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National

COVID numbers in slight fall over long weekend

Deltacron Omicron XE

Daily COVID infections in the ACT have fallen slightly, with 734 new cases recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday.

The previous figures for the 24 hours to 8pm on Good Friday were 856 cases.

In the latest batch, 338 were detected by full PCR test and 396 by the rapid test.

They take the total number of cases in the ACT over the pandemic to 93,713. The total number of people who have died from COVID in the ACT is 47.

Of the current cases, 58 are in hospital, with two of those in intensive care. One person is on a ventilator.

New infection numbers were not released on Good Friday or Easter Sunday due to the public holidays.

The ACT Government gave a breakdown of current cases by age:

  • 0-4: 47 (6%)
  • 5-11: 40 (5%)
  • 12-17: 50 (7%)
  • 18-24: 63 (9%)
  • 25-39: 222 (30%)
  • 40-49: 118 (16%)
  • 50-64: 107 (15%)
  • 65+: 87 (12%)

Cruise ships return after two years

Luxury cruise ship Pacific Explorer has pulled into Sydney Harbour, making it the first to return to Australian shores since a ban triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

P&O Australia's $400 million luxury liner, which has capacity for almost 2000 passengers, arrived in Sydney on Monday morning.

The ABC showed the ship docking surrounded by tugboats, with a huge banner at the bow reading "We're Home".

NSW, Victoria and Queensland have outlined testing and vaccination requirements for passengers and crew in preparation for the ships to return.

However, Tasmania is still reviewing whether such a move is safe for the island state.

New Omicron BA variant arrives in Australia

Victorian authorities are monitoring a new BA.4 or BA.5 Omicron variant after samples were confirmed in for the first time in Australia.

The sub-variant has been recently detected in a small number of COVID-19 cases in South Africa, Botswana, Belgium, Denmark, the UK and Germany.

The World Health Organisation says there are currently no known significant epidemiological differences between the new Omicron strain and the more dominant BA.2 strain.

Meanwhile, the first cases of the 'Deltacron' were reported on Friday by NSW Health.

Known as a recombinant variant, it is one of two concerning strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus currently spreading across the world.

Around Australia

More than 32,000 new cases were reported across the nation on Sunday, along with 17 virus-related deaths, although seven of the eight announced by officials in Western Australia were historical.

NSW has reported 11,166 new COVID-19 cases and 4 deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday. Across the state there are 1576 people with the infection in hospital and 67 in ICU.

Victoria has reported 7918 cases in the previous period and one death. There were 431 people in hospital and 30 in ICU.

Tasmania has 1372 cases and no deaths with 44 people in hospital and one in the ICU.

Our coverage of the health and safety aspects of this outbreak of COVID-19 in the ACT is free for anyone to access. However, we depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support. You can also sign up for our newsletters for regular updates.

COVID cases have fallen slightly over the Easter long weekend. Picture: Keegan Carroll
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