The ACT has recorded 1217 new COVID cases in the 24 hours until 8pm on Thursday. On Wednesday, there were 1132 new cases.
Canberra's active cases are the fourth highest recorded during the pandemic so far at 6135. The highest active case numbers recorded in the ACT were 6655 on January 11, 2022.
Of the latest cases, 675 were detected via PCR tests and 542 were reported from positive rapid antigen tests.
There are 74 people with the virus in hospital. Four patients are in the ICU and one is on a ventilator.
ACT Health announced on Wednesday a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s died with the virus. A man in his 90s also passed away this week. The death toll remains at 58.
The double-dose vaccination rate remains at 97.1 per cent.
Nearly 76 per cent of the ACT population aged 16 and over is reported to have received three jabs.
Of children aged between five and 11 years old, 80.6 per cent have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Federal data reports that as of May 8, there are 17,594 people in the ACT aged over 16 that have received a fourth dose. Only 88.7 per cent of Indigenous people in the territory are fully vaccinated, data suggests.
People on the NDIS in the ACT also have a lower than average vaccination rate, with only 89.1 per cent receiving two jabs.
On Friday, ACT chief medical officer Dr Kerryn Coleman told the ABC the higher case numbers may be because schools have gone back.
"That could be either because there is more circulating virus going through schools now ... or it just be because could be because parents are testing kids with [rapid antigen tests] a little bit more," she said.
"We know that when you test more, you get more cases."
Dr Coleman also said the stagnated vaccination rates may be due to people recovering from COVID.
"People who have had COVID don't get their COVID vaccine for up to about three months," she said.
Mandatory QR check-in code requirements will be scrapped from all Canberra venues from the weekend.
The Check In CBR app was still required to be used at licensed venues, registered clubs, night clubs, strip clubs, brothels and non-ticketed events.
Dr Coleman said ACT Health was not "abandoning" the app.
"We're transferring it to be used as a health screening tool for those at risk or high risk facilities where we know that COVID can have a much bigger impact such as aged care facilities," she said.
"We will be able to turn it back on again if there is a significant problem, such as the new variants coming through within the next 12 months or so."
The number of schools who are remote learning because of severe teaching staff shortages has continued to grow.
As of Thursday afternoon, 10 per cent of public schools in the ACT had students in remote learning. This includes grades at Latham Primary School, Black Mountain School and Caroline Chisholm School.
Around Australia
NSW has recorded 12,020 new cases of COVID-19. There are 1398 people with the virus in hospital including 60 patients in the ICU and 18 on ventilators. Thirteen people with the virus have sadly died.
In Victoria, there are 13,181 new reported cases. Fifty-four people in that state are in hospital with COVID, including four in the ICU. There are 18 more reported deaths.
Queensland has 6555 new cases, 407 people with the virus in hospital and 11 are in the ICU. Twelve more people have died.
In WA, there are 15,565 new cases, 279 hospitalisations, 12 ICU patients and three deaths.
Tasmania has 1118 new cases. There are 39 people with the virus in hospital and one in ICU. Two people have died.
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