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Health

ACT records 12 new cases of COVID-19, Canberra gyms, schools, and cinema among exposure locations

More than 96 per cent of eligible Canberrans are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)

The ACT has recorded 12 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases.

There are four people in hospital, with one person in intensive care requiring ventilation.

More than 96 per cent of Canberrans aged 12 and above have now received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

There are currently 185 active cases of the virus in the territory.

More than 1,400 negative tests were received in the past 24 hours.

Charles Weston School in Coombs is the latest Canberra school to have been exposed to a positive COVID-19 case.

Duffy Primary School has also added another exposure date — Friday, November 1 — bringing its exposure range to a total of seven days.

There are now 20 ACT schools that have recorded exposure to the virus since their complete return to on-campus learning at the start of the month.

The Wanniassa School cluster has grown to 56 cases. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

ACT Chief Health Officer Kerryn Coleman said there had been a significant impact on schools, with five having recorded transmission on-site.

The Wanniassa Junior School cluster — the ACT's largest school cluster — stands at 56 cases.

Erindale, Mawson Primary and Orana Steiner School have recorded fewer than five cases in their respective clusters.

Exposure in gyms and cinema

Schools haven't been the only exposure locations, gyms and a cinema feature on the ACT's exposure sites list as well.

Anytime Fitness in Weston has recorded three instances of close contact, on Tuesday, November 9 and Wednesday, November 10 from 6:30am to 7:30am, and Thursday, November 11 from 6:30am to 7:15am.

A showing of No Time to Die at Palace Electric Cinemas was named as a close contact location. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

A movie showing at Palace Electric Cinemas was also identified as a close-contact location — a screening of No Time to Die on Thursday, November 11 from 6pm to 8:45pm.

Cinemas in the territory have been allowed to operate at full capacity since Friday, with no requirement for patrons to wear masks while indoors.

Of the 22 close-contact sites currently on ACT Health's website, 13 of them are gyms and three are hospitality venues.

Organised sport, cinemas and interstate coaches make up two each.

'Part of COVID normal': Chief Health Officer

St Andrews Village in Hughes locked down yesterday after recording five cases of COVID-19. (ABC News: Greg Nelson)

There have been no new cases recorded today at St Andrews Village aged care facility in Hughes.

The facility went into lockdown yesterday after five cases were confirmed among a mix of residents and staff.

Dr Coleman said that while she understood why some people would find the St Andrews cluster worrisome, the high level of vaccination made the site less of a concern.

"Any infectious disease in an aged care facility is a concern, but it's reassuring that there has been limited spread so far."

Dr Coleman said this cluster, like most others, was something Canberrans would have to start adapting to as the territory tried to return to a pre-pandemic standard.

When asked about face masks no longer being mandatory in all indoor settings, she said while the law no longer required the face-covering, she would still be wearing one, and encouraged others to do the same.

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