Canberra records 22 new cases, 67 in total

Covid-19 cases in the nation’s capital continue to rise as Canberra recorded 22 new cases on Wednesday.

Coronavirus cases in the captial continue to rise. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Canberra has recorded an additional 22 new locally-acquired Covid-19 cases as more than 12,500 people across the capital have been forced into quarantine.

It brings the total number of cases in the ACT to 67.

Chief health officer Kerryn Coleman confirmed 63 cases have been linked.

The remaining four cases remain under investigation.

“Since our update yesterday the ACT recorded an additional 22 new Covid-19 cases, which brings the total active cases associated with this outbreak to 67,” she told reporters on Wednesday.

“Of our new cases today, I can confirm that all of these are linked to known cases. So all of the new 22 cases are linked, which is fabulous news.

“Additionally, because of the further investigative work done by our epidemiologists, we now know that there are only four of the total 67 cases remaining under investigation.”

There are no hospitalisations in the ACT at this stage.

More than 12,500 people are in quarantine in Canberra, and 10,500 of those are close contacts linked to cases in the ACT.

The remaining 2000 close contacts are linked with cases interstate.

Dr Coleman said the number of exposure sites across the territory had blown out to 190 locations.

Three more schools were added to ACT’s growing list of exposure sites overnight, taking the total number of Canberra schools hit by Covid-19 to five.

St Thomas Aquinas Primary School in Charnwood, UC Senior Secondary College (UCSSC) Lake Ginninderra in Belconnen and Harrison School n have all been confirmed close contact locations.

There has been long wait times as Canberrans seek testing for Covid-19. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

ACT Health informed parents testing would be arranged for all close contacts at the pop up testing site at the Gold Creek School.

Fifteen cases are now associated with outbreak at Lyneham High School.

A further 13 cases have been linked to Fiction Nightclub, six to the Lennock Jaguar Land Rover Dealership, five to the Belconnen Basketball Stadium, five at Gold Creek School, three at the Downer Community Centre and two additional cases are linked to the Assembly Bar.

No additional cases have been detected at the Greenway Views Village.

All residents and staff at the aged care facility have been tested all have received negative results.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the number of residents in home quarantine had placed a strain on major supermarkets and food delivery services.

“The Government has been engaging with the major supermarkets chains. So what we‘re seeking to do is to compile a list of what is already a wide range of alternate options to get necessary food and groceries delivered to households in quarantine,” he said.

ACT Senator Katy Gallagher has confirmed she is quarantine after her 14-year-old daughter Evie tested positive to the virus.

Senator Gallagher took to social media to confirm the news, revealing her daughter was feeling “pretty unwell”.

More to come.