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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Jasper Lindell

Basketball stadium an exposure site, case numbers expected to rise

Medical staff collect test samples at the Exhibition Park drive-through testing clinic on Friday. Picture: Keegan Carroll

The number of Covid cases identified in the Canberra outbreak is expected to grow on Sunday, after a person who attended the Tuggeranong sports stadium in Greenway reportedly tested positive.

Basketball ACT chief executive David Simpson wrote to members on Saturday night to inform them a person who played at the Southern Cross Club stadium on Wednesday evening had returned a positive test on Saturday evening.

"We understand that ACT Health has already been in contact with all participants that played with and against the player on Wednesday night; and they are continuing to work with all parties involved through their contact tracing process," Mr Simpson wrote.

A formal case update is expected late on Sunday morning.

The list of close contact exposure sites has continued to grow, with Lennock Jaguar Land Rover, on Melrose Drive, a close-contact exposure site for five days last week from Monday.

Southern Cross Club Stadium is a casual-contact exposure site between 7pm and 9pm on Wednesday.

A cluster of COVID-19 cases in the ACT has been linked to the outbreak in Greater Sydney, but health officials say they are not yet certain how the virus returned to the territory.

The ACT recorded one new case of Covid in the community to 9am on Saturday, a close contact of a previously reported case.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said Saturday was a good news day for Canberra.

"But we've got a lot of testing still to get through. I'm pleased that we locked down when we did. It was definitely the right decision and has clearly reduced the risk to our community," Mr Barr said.

"If this continues, where we have very high levels of testing and we continue to get low case numbers that are close contacts and we're able to isolate those people, then that is the very best public health response that we can put in place."

The ACT's vaccination program faces being constrained if the Delta outbreak grows, as persistently increased testing demand could force staff administering jabs to collect swabs instead.

A stretched health workforce is being put under an intense pressure test with up to 4500 Canberrans identified as potential close contacts of a case.

with Kathryn Lewis

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