Diplomat drives to Canberra to isolate at home before testing positive to COVID-19

A diplomat returning from overseas drove from Sydney to Canberra to quarantine at home before testing positive to coronavirus.

A diplomat returning from overseas tested positive for COVID-19 after entering Canberra, officials said on Wednesday.

The man in his 50s flew to Sydney International Airport and travelled to the nation’s capital via private vehicle on the same day, Australian Capital Territory health authorities said in a statement.

“While in quarantine, the diplomat experienced mild COVID-19 symptoms and was tested for COVID-19, returning a positive result,” the statement read.

It said the man did not stop on his way to Canberra and has been quarantined at home since he returned.

“The individual has followed all quarantine measures for returning overseas travellers and is being supported by ACT Health,” the statement said.

Health officials will perform genome sequencing to see what strain of the coronavirus the man was infected with.

Three close contacts have been identified and put in quarantine. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Three close contacts have been identified via contact tracing and have also been put in quarantine.

“There is no risk to the public,” the health department said.

The department said that returning diplomats and government officials enter the capital “on a regular basis” and that reports of positive cases in the territory’s quarantine system are not uncommon.

“This is exactly why the ACT has a quarantine system,” the statement said.

“The circumstances of this new case demonstrates that our quarantine system here in the ACT is working well to protect the Canberra community from COVID-19.”

The ACT has had the lowest COVID-19 numbers in the country since the pandemic started last year.

There have only been 123 total cases in Canberra, including overseas infections.