Canberra records 478 new cases of COVID-19 as mask rules ease

There were 478 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday.

There were 41 people in hospital with COVID-19 as of 8pm Thursday, with two people in intensive care and none currently under ventilation. There were 41 people in hospital in the previous day's report, with three in intensive care and none being ventilated.

The new cases reported on Saturday brought the total number of active cases in the ACT to 3922, down from the 4050 reported on Friday.

As of 6pm Friday, some mask-wearing requirements were lifted.

However, masks will still be needed on buses or trams, in taxis or rideshare services, at the prison, in hospitals, aged care facilities and at Canberra Airport.

Workers who provide services to a person with a disability and in-home and community aged care providers will need one, too. Staff and visitors to schools will also be required to wear masks. Students in years 7 to 12 will continue to wear masks.

This comes after the ACT recorded a jump in COVID infections with 946 earlier this week, spurred on by an outbreak at ANU residences which has surpassed 600 cases.

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They were diagnosed from 317 rapid tests and 161 PCR tests. The territory's death toll remains at 33.

As of Friday, the number of ACT residents aged 12 and over who are double vaccinated remains at 98.6 per cent. ACT Health does not update vaccination data on weekends.

A total of 66.6 per cent of people have received their booster, and 78 per cent of children aged five to 11 are vaccinated with a single dose as of Friday.

NSW has reported 7017 new COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths as it plans to lift non-urgent elective surgery limits in private hospitals.

There are 1130 patients in hospital with the virus, 59 of them in intensive care and 24 of them on ventilators.

Seven men and four women died, including one man in his 40s.

He had received three doses of a vaccine but had significant underlying health conditions, NSW Health says.

NSW Health reports 57.7 per cent of people eligible for a booster have now received one, while 94.3 per cent have had two vaccine doses.

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Victoria has recorded a further 15 COVID-related deaths along with 5874 fresh infections as restrictions across the state continue to be eased.

Health authorities say there are now just under 41,000 active virus cases in Victoria or about 160 fewer than reported on Friday.

There are 291 COVID-19 patients in hospital care, down 10. Of these 43 are in ICUs and five require ventilation.

Of the latest cases, 3788 were detected using rapid antigen kits, while 2086 were returned via PCR lab tests.

Queensland has recorded eight further COVID-19 deaths and 4838 new cases but hospitalisations are continuing to fall.

Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan says those who died were aged in their 70s, 80s and 90s.

Chief health officer John Gerrard said three of the fatalities were unvaccinated, three had had one dose of a vaccine, one had received two jabs and one a booster.

He said there were 326 COVID-19 patients in public hospitals, down from 333 on Friday, and another 24 people in intensive care, down from 27.

There are also 15 patients in private hospitals, which is down from 17.

With AAP.

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