Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Miriam Webber, Peter Brewer

As it happened: Australia hits vaccination milestone

Canberra recorded 15 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, as the ACT extended its Public Health Emergency declaration until next year.

The extension comes "in recognition of the ongoing case numbers of COVID-19 in the ACT" and will support the updated public health directions from Friday, according to ACT Health.

High-risk local government areas in Victoria and NSW have been updated for travellers, though only partially or unvaccinated people need to quarantine on return to the territory.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith denied it was in the public interest to tell Canberrans about a party which caused at least 33 COVID-19 infections and disrupted schools as an expert warns of more clusters over the festive season.

It followed news that a house party in Wanniassa attended by up to 150 teenagers on Halloween eve was identified as a COVID superspreading event, generating clusters across a number of schools and colleges.

On Thursday, ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said there were 17 schools affected by COVID-19 exposures.

The live blog appears below this article, and sometimes takes a moment to appear.

Staff prepare COVID-19 vaccines at the AIS mass vaccination centre. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.