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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Hannah Neale

Total ACT COVID-19 infections pass 100,000 as hospitalisations rise

How do we manage flu season during the COVID-19 pandemic? | April 14, 2022 | ACM

The ACT has recorded the second highest number of people in hospital since the pandemic began, as admissions increased by eight overnight.

The total number of COVID-19 infections in the capital has officially passed 100,000 after numbers for the Anzac Day public holiday were released.

While ACT Health did not release a daily COVID-19 case update on April 25, they have announced 662 infections were recorded for the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday. This officially brought the total number of COVID-19 cases in the territory to 100,107 since the pandemic began.

Meanwhile, the latest report has revealed 831 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the territory in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday, a sharp increase in numbers.

Canberra hospitals were caring for 69 patients with COVID-19 at 8pm on Monday night, including five people in intensive care and none on ventilation. This is the highest number of people in hospital since January 27, 2021 where 73 people required additional care.

Previously, there were 61 people in hospital with three in intensive care.

The territory's pandemic case tally is now at 100,927 since March 12, 2020.

There has now been a total of 48 deaths in the territory. This comes after it was revealed most people who died with virus in the ACT had not received three vaccinations.

The ACT now has 5535 active cases of coronavirus, down from 5731 reported in the previous period. Of the new cases, 412 were reported through PCR tests and 419 as a result of rapid tests.

Latest vaccination rates 

The first-dose vaccination rate for children aged five to 11 is at 80.6 per cent.

Meanwhile, fully vaccinated people aged over five make up 96.8 per cent of the ACT population. The percentages have decreased from 98.7 per cent due to a revision in ACT Health's population estimate. The proportion of people aged 16 and over who are triple-vaxxed rose to 74.9 per cent.

Remote learning looms as Term 2 begins 

More schools are expected to switch to remote learning in Term 2 as all education systems brace for a winter COVID-19 wave.

ACT public schools will have the toughest regulations when school returns, as Canberra's non-government schools and NSW schools loosen their restrictions.

In ACT public schools, mask-wearing for staff and high school students will remain mandatory and asymptomatic household contacts of cases will not be allowed to attend school in at least the first two weeks of term.

Meanwhile, directorate officials will have discussions with public school staff and teachers about removing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, the Education Minister says.

ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry told ABC radio on Tuesday morning that 23 teachers at public schools in Canberra had been impacted by the requirement.

"We'll have a conversation with our school staff and teachers about [mandatory COVID-19 vaccination] to see whether or not that's something that we can remove," Ms Berry said.

"At the time [the mandate was introduced] we wanted to make sure that everybody was as safe as possible, when our younger school students couldn't be vaccinated.

"Now that's not the case, it might be that our school staff are comfortable with that mandate being lifted."

Around Australia

NSW has recorded 9849 new COVID-19 infections with 18 deaths. There were 1695 people in hospital across the state with the disease and 67 in intensive care.

Meanwhile, Victoria has recorded 15 new deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm and 9265 new cases. There were 455 people in hospital with COVID-19 and 33 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.

The total number of COVID-19 infections in the territory has passed 100,000. Picture: Karleen Minney
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