coronavirus,

Three more cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Canberra, bringing the total to nine. All three are believed to have contracted it overseas and all three self-quarantined. Health Minister Rachael Stephen-Smith said there was "no evidence of community transmission of COVID-19 in the ACT at this point". Seven of the nine ACT cases had come from overseas. ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Kerryn Coleman said 2212 people had tested negative, as of Saturday morning. The seventh case was a man in his 70s who recently returned from overseas where it was believed he had been exposed to the virus. He had been self-isolating but has now been admitted to hospital, where he was in a stable condition, Dr Coleman said. The man's close travel companions had been identified and were self-isolating. The ACT government is also working to identify people on an international flight and a domestic flight considered close contacts of this man. People on flight QR908 from Doha to Sydney on March 17 in rows 79-83 are considered close contacts and people in rows 12-16 on the flight VA672 from Sydney to Canberra arriving at 9.30pm on March 17 are considered close contacts. Anyone sitting in these specific rows is asked to call the Communicable Disease Control Section of ACT Health on (02) 5124 9213 for further advice. READ MORE: The eighth case is a woman in her 60s. "She is isolating at home with our support," Dr Coleman said. "A small number of household close contacts have been identified and will be contacted as a priority today," she said. The woman travelled on one international flight - QR906 from Doha to Canberra, via Sydney, arriving at 6.10am on March 16, where exposure may have occurred. The government was working to identify which seat the woman had been in, but on Saturday morning anyone on that flight was considered a potential close contact. The ninth case is a woman in her 50s who was self-isolating with the support of ACT Health. Household close contacts had been identified and contacted, and they were self-quarantining. "The individual was not infectious during her return to Australia so there are no travel close contacts," Dr Coleman said. "As this pandemic continues we will continue to see new cases in the ACT," Dr Coleman said. "ACT Health staff are working tirelessly to make contact with contacts of confirmed cases. "This means if you need to be contacted, we will be in touch with you." READ MORE: Dr Coleman said a woman who contracted the virus earlier had now been discharged from hospital, so only the man in his 70s identified on Saturday was in hospital. The ACT's first case, a man in his 30s, was close to being cleared of the virus. The government also reiterated the need for people to stop panic-buying at supermarkets and hoarding supplies. It comes after two cases were announced on Friday. The fifth and sixth confirmed cases were men in their 70s and 50s respectively, who recently returned from overseas, where they were believed to have been exposed to the virus. People in rows 42 to 46 on flight EY450 from Abu Dhabi to Sydney, which arrived at 6am on March 18, are considered close contacts of the man in his 70s and should contact ACT Health's Communicable Disease Control Section. They should also quarantine themselves. Similarly, people in rows three to seven on flight VA640 from Sydney to Canberra, which arrived at 11am on March 18, are considered close contacts and should follow the same instructions. The infected man was also on Flight EY78 from Amsterdam to Abu Dhabi, which arrived at 5.55am local time on March 17, but authorities were still determining where the man was sitting. Authorities had identified a small number of close contacts for the sixth confirmed case, but said the man had no close contacts at risk in his travels. An ANU student was also diagnosed on Friday, but that person is interstate and has not been to the ACT recently. As the ACT continues to see an increase in the number of cases of coronavirus, the Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith will each shed a portfolio so they can respond effectively to the pandemic. The tertiary education portfolio will be reallocated to Minister Steel and the urban renewal portfolio will be in the hands of Minister Gentleman. "The changes have been made to reflect the increased responsibilities on the Chief Minister as a member of National Cabinet, and on the Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith during this Public Health Emergency," an ACT government spokeswoman said. "The focus of the ACT Cabinet, particularly the Chief Minister and the Minister for Health, will be to ensure the ACT has the capacity to treat and care for those who fall ill, and to save as many jobs and businesses as possible." She said slowing the spread of COVID-19 and supporting our community during this time is the government's number one priority. "Detailed scenario planning is taking place to ensure we are ready for what we may face in the months ahead. This work is being done in close contact with colleagues at the Commonwealth level and other State and Territory governments."

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