Canberra has reported it’s first new COVID-19 case in close to a month.
ACT Health today confirmed that the new case is a returned diplomat in his 30s who is currently in quarantine. Two close contacts of the man are also in quarantine.
Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerryn Coleman said the case was considered a “low risk” to the community.
“The diplomat travelled with his wife and there was a driver who drove them from the airport to the ACT – both are and will continue to be in quarantine,” Dr Coleman said.
She said the man arrived at Sydney International Airport on November 15, before travelling to Canberra where he has remained in isolation.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the ACT would remain in a public health emergency until February.
“The public health emergency declaration empowers the chief health officer to make directions and make decisions to protect Canberrans in the face of this global pandemic,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
The man is the third returned government diplomat to test positive to COVID-19 in the ACT. By law, diplomats are not required to isolate in a hotel like general members of the public, but are instead advised to do so at home.
Dr Coleman said a roadmap out of COVID-19 restrictions would be delayed following the latest ACT case, and an outbreak of the virus in South Australia.
“We have to work out what level of restrictions with business and community will enable us to live with a COVID safe normal moving forward and still be able to adequately and appropriately respond and dampen down outbreaks when they occur,” she said.
