The Department of Parliamentary Services said on Monday a staff member who was at the main front basement entrance to Parliament House has tested positive to COVID-19.
It comes as the ACT recorded 186 new COVID cases today, a new high for Canberra.
The staff member worked on the mornings of December 22-24.
ACT Health is investigating the case but those who work in the building are being advised no action is required at this time unless they have been alerted to being a close contact.
Parliament House will remain open and advice is being sought from ACT Health as to whether additional cleaning is required.
Meanwhile, acting chief minister Yvette Berry said the ACT government expected fluctuations in case numbers over the holiday period due to more movement around the city and the demand for PCR tests before some interstate travel.
“We are expecting an increase in case numbers but our focus remains on those high-risk settings,” Ms Berry said.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said she was nervous about what the increased case numbers could mean for the territory’s healthcare provision.
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about what we might see in our hospital system,” she said.
“(But) we will be ready to act if we think we need to, to ensure our health system is appropriately supported.”
She also said rapid antigen tests were accurate enough to be used for states screening new interstate arrivals but not for identifying people exposed to the virus.
“Rapid antigen tests aren’t particularly useful when we are targeting … (people) who have been exposed to the virus or who are symptomatic,” she said, noting positive tests would still need PCR confirmation.
“Where they are useful, particularly where they are taken over a number of days, is for that screening purpose.”
Ms Stephen-Smith thanked South Australia for moving to allow new arrivals to return a negative rapid antigen test, as opposed to a PCR test, before entering the state.
Eased pressure on distribution companies after the Christmas period should also increase the availability of rapid tests within the next week or so, she said.
AAP
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