The ACT has recorded a new case of coronavirus, four days after "zero active cases" was first declared in Canberra.
The new case is a woman in her 20s who acquired COVID-19 while she was overseas, bringing the ACT's total to 107 cases.
However, ACT deputy chief health officer Dr Vanessa Johnston said there was no risk to the broader community, despite the existence of the new case.
ACT health authorities say the woman was symptomatic while she was overseas, and spent 14 days in quarantine after returning to Australia.
The woman was not tested during the quarantine period, as her symptoms had resolved before she came home from overseas.
"Recently, this individual presented for testing [in Canberra] after developing new cold-like symptoms and returned a low positive result," Dr Johnston said.
"Further testing has also confirmed the presence of a common respiratory virus."
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Health authorities say the woman has not been infectious since before she finished her 14-day quarantine.
A small number of close contacts of the woman have been identified as a precaution.
While the woman is no longer infectious Dr Johnston said tests are still being carried out and the woman is in self-isolation "out of an abundance of caution", which is why the case has been considered active.
"We don't clear people entirely and put them in the recovered box until we are happy to release them from isolation and we've got all testing results back," she said.
"In the national guidance there's different criteria for release from isolation. You can be recovered from your symptoms but still be in isolation."
For patients in the ACT to be considered recovered it must be 10 days since the onset of symptoms and at least three days with no symptoms.
Dr Johnston said it was possible to return a positive test result in recovered patients some time after the initial infection.
"In these scenarios so long after their infection it's likely this represents shedding of dead viral fragments, this means they're not considered infectious," she said.
Dr Johnston said while people could be asymptomatic and have the virus it didn't necessarily mean they are infectious.
"We don't really understand just what sort of contribution they are having to the transmission of this virus to our community," she said.
"It's not a recommendation to get tested if you don't have any symptoms, even if you've returned from an overseas country at this stage.
"What we're really trying to do is ramp up testing in those people that have symptoms, because that's where we're likely to find infection and that is who is most likely to transmit infection."
New figures reveal there have been more than 9500 negative tests for the virus in the ACT.
No patients are in hospital with coronavirus, while the death toll in the capital remains at three.
Dr Johnston has urged anyone with symptoms to get tested for coronavirus.
"While we are in a very good position in the ACT, this is a good reminder we will continue to see more cases," she said.
"That's why it's important that we all act cautiously as restrictions start to be eased. That means keeping a good distance between yourselves and others while you are out and about and also making sure you wash your hands regularly."
After the first weekend with slight easing to restrictions in the ACT, Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said Canberrans had been doing very well despite reports of large crowds at some shopping centres.
The rule changes came into effect on Saturday, allowing two people from a household and their children to visit another household and allowing non-essential shopping.
"Shops are doing a really great job of trying to keep people within that one person per four square metres, that one and a half metres apart, but we all have a role to play in that," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
"If you turn up somewhere and you see there are a lot of people and it's going to be hard to maintain that physical distancing, maybe go away, do something else, go back later."
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- For information on COVID-19, please go to the ACT Health website or the federal Health Department's website.
- You can also call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
- If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call Triple Zero (000)
