FOR the second consecutive day, the ACT recorded 15 new covid cases to 8pm last night, including one detainee from the Alexander Maconochie Centre, chief health officer Dr Kerry Coleman told today’s daily briefing.

Of the 15, nine spent part of their time in the community and five were in quarantine.

Today’s (September 12) numbers take the total of cases in the current covid outbreak to 493, of which 254 had recovered and 239 were still active.

Dr Coleman said the number of people had dropped to 10, with three in intensive case, one of whom on a ventilator. Hospital cases ranged in age from under 12 to over 70. The age range of the three in ICU ranged between 40 and 60.

Of those in hospital, eight were unvaccinated, one had had one dose and the vaccination status of one person is unknown.

She said the prison detainee’s was positive on admission to the jail and he had been in isolation since then. All detainees, prison staff, police and watch house staff who might have been in contact with the infected man had been advised.

A Justice Health Team vaccinated all new admissions to AMC and across the prison 74 per cent of all inmates had had at least their first dose of vaccine and 55% their second.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said tests numbers had dropped yesterday to 2406 and reminded the community that to maintain good surveillance, more than 3000 tests a day were needed.

Of 468 police traffic stops yesterday, five were directed out of the ACT. He said surveillance of businesses trading under restrictions had shown a small number still operating with staff not wearing masks.

The ACT had vaccinated 44,000 people in the past week and 95 per cent of people aged over 50 had now had their first vaccine dose with 75 per cent of them fully vaccinated. In the younger age groups, 29 per cent of people 35-39 were fully vaccinated and 15 per cent of the 20-24-year-olds.