Victoria's Chief Health Officer says a child who attended a Melbourne early learning centre then later tested positive to coronavirus in Israel may be a false-positive result.
The child attended Explorers Early Learning Centre in Armadale on Thursday and tested positive on arrival in Tel Aviv on Saturday.
The centre, in Melbourne's south-east, been closed for cleaning and contact tracing efforts are underway.
But speaking at a press conference on Monday, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the positive test was detected on a rapid point of care test, which had "variable sensitivity and specificity".
"It's my suspicion this is not going to end up being a confirmed positive test," Professor Sutton said.
"We are following that with Israeli authorities as soon as we can get a determination on a more proof.
"That said, the childcare centre is closed, and all individuals are being tested and will need to return a negative result as well. So, low risk but we are taking a super cautionary approach in that individual."
Professor Sutton said despite his suspicions, health authorities were contacting all the child's "several hundred" close contacts.
He said all close contacts tested so far came up negative.
No new local cases for fifth-straight day
The state recorded its fifth consecutive day of zero locally-transmitted coronavirus cases out of 18,660 test results.
One international traveller already in hotel quarantine tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of active cases in the state to 40.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced a relaxation of his state's hard border with New South Wales, which will allow Victorians stuck in regional NSW to apply for permits to travel back home on Monday night.
It is part of a broader traffic light system introduced for the state.
Mr Andrews said Victorians could travel if they wanted, but they should know borders could close in an instant.
"The stakes are very high here," he said.
"We have built something that is precious, and it needs to be safeguarded, and I make no apology for doing everything I can to keep Victoria safe.
"The alternative would be to ignore public health advice.
"We have not done that, and I'm not about to start doing that."
Responding to a question about WA Premier Mark McGowan's call for other states to push for elimination of COVID-19, Mr Andrews said that was not a live policy in Victoria.
"We are not looking to wipe this thing out, we have to live with it," he said.
"That is exactly what we have been doing these last few weeks."
