Man in his 20s dies with COVID in Canberra

A man in his 20s has died with COVID as the ACT recorded 537 new cases of the coronavirus in the latest reporting period, down from 594 the previous day.

ACT Health has extended "sincere condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time".

The man is the 32nd person in the ACT to die of COVID since the pandemic began.

There are 47 people in ACT hospitals with the coronavirus, with three in intensive care and two of these on ventilators. The numbers in intensive care are unchanged, but there were 48 in hospital in the previous report.

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There are now 2565 active COVID cases in the ACT. up from 2475 reported the day before. Of these, 1247 were detected from PCR tests, and 1318 from rapid antigen tests (RAT).

Of ACT children aged between 5-11, 76.8 per cent have received one dose of vaccine.

Of those aged over 16, 62.9 per cent have received their vaccine booster shot.

There have been 43,246 total cases of COVID recorded in the ACT since March 12, 2020.

It comes on the first day the ACT government makes its latest change to COVID reporting, as it drops daily media releases with the information. It is now only publicising the numbers through social media.

Meanwhile, teachers and parents have welcomed the ACT government's decision to provide rapid antigen tests for a further four weeks as Canberra recorded the highest number of new COVID-19 cases this month.

NSW recorded 9995 new COVID-19 cases and 14 deaths in the 24 hours to 4pm Wednesday. There are 1447 COVID-19 patients in hospital, with 92 in ICU.

Hospitalisation numbers are down on the previous day's report, when 1478 patients were being cared for in hospitals, while ICU numbers are steady, remaining at 92.

Venue density quotas will be scrapped and Victorians will no longer be required to check into retail, schools and workplaces using QR codes, under fresh changes to COVID-19 restrictions.

Premier Daniel Andrews announced some restrictions will be eased from 6pm on Friday, as the state's Omicron wave begins to ease.

The changes come as the state posts nine deaths and 8501 new COVID-19 cases, including 5661 through rapid antigen tests and 2840 from PCR tests.

Active cases continue to tumble, dropping from 50,967 to 50,042.

The number of new coronavirus cases in Tasmania has risen for the fourth day in a row, with the island state reporting 680 fresh infections.

The figure, an increase from 625 on Wednesday, is the highest since February 1.

There are 16 people with the virus in hospital, with 11 of those receiving treatment specifically for COVID-19. Two patients are in intensive care.

There are 3266 active cases statewide, a marginal increase on 3116 from 24 hours earlier.

Queensland has recorded 39 COVID-19 deaths, the most recorded in a single day of the pandemic.

Another 5665 new virus cases emerged after 15,151 tests across the state in the 24 hours to 6.30am on Thursday.

Chief Health Officer John Gerrard says the deaths did not all occur in the previous 24 hours with 27 of them historical, occurring as far back as mid-January.

A second COVID-19 vaccine has been given the green light for children, after the medical regulator provisionally approved Moderna for those aged six years and older.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration on Thursday gave the go-ahead for six to 11-year-olds to receive the Moderna vaccine.

Moderna was previously only been available to people 12 and over.

It now joins Pfizer as a COVID-19 vaccine recommended for children.

A final approval will need to be granted by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.

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