A Canberra pathology receptionist has tested positive for COVID-19.
The exposure in the Canberra Health Services pathology testing reception area has forced a number of staff into isolation, just as testing numbers surge to fight the Omicron outbreak.
It comes as COVID cases begin to climb, with 20 cases reported in the ACT on Friday.
That came after 11 cases were reported on Thursday.
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith says the receptionist tested positive on Thursday night, and there will likely be "quite a number" of people deemed close contacts.
"There's still a bit of work to do to understand the exact impact of that and the CHS team will, as always, work really quickly to ensure those services have the least interruption possible," she told ABC radio.
Some 5160 COVID tests were processed in the ACT on Thursday, which Ms Stephen-Smith said was the largest number since August.
Private pathology companies were being contacted to see what assistance they could provide.
"People should be aware it might push out those turnaround times to slightly more than 24 hours," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
"We've had an incredible record of meeting those turnaround times, but we're not expecting any significant delays as a result of this.
"Canberra Health Services is now very experienced at managing exposures among their test teams."
Four ACT residents are in hospital with COVID. None of them are in intensive care.
