Coronavirus: Expanded testing on the cards for ACT government

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith announced the death in Canberra Hospital of a woman in her sixties who was a passenger on the disease-struck Ruby Princess cruise ship.

But the minister also revealed that on Wednesday the ACT had recorded no new COVID-19 infections for the third straight day, with the total number of confirmed cases at 103.

Of those, 77 people have recovered and been released from self-isolation and two are undergoing treatment in hospital. The reminder are isolating at home.

As the rate of detected cases has slowed the numbers seeking testing has also declined.

Ms Stephen-Smith said 103 people were tested on Tuesday, and all had returned negative for the virus.

In recent weeks between 200 and 300 people a day had been presenting for testing, and the minister said the slowdown had given the government room to consider how to expand the territory's testing regime.

The ACT began random testing of people with COVID-19-like symptoms last week and Ms Stephen-Smith said the number being conducted would increase.

"We will continue to monitor what this testing criteria looks like and whether there is capacity to do more testing in the ACT," the minister said. "The question being explored is the best way of extending that [testing] criteria in a way that makes sense."

In all, there have been 6387 negative tests conducted in the ACT.

Increased testing, along with other tools such as an opt-in mobile phone app being developed by the federal government to notify people if they have been in close proximity to a person infected with COVID-19, are seen as essential before any move is made to ease social distancing restrictions.

At its meeting today National Cabinet is expected to receive a briefing from the nation's chief health officers on possible paths out of the clamp down, though senior government ministers have warned that any changes were likely to be weeks away.

Commonwealth deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth said "the way forward with COVID-19 - in an environment where we're not immune - is entirely based on building our capacity within the health system and our capability to detect the cases".

He said the proposed app would enhance the ability of epidemiologists to trace the source of infections, which was "our fundamental weapon at the moment in the absence of a vaccine".

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Dr Coatsworth said public health authorities around the country should now "pivot towards a broader testing regime".

While the territory government is considering the best ways to expand testing, ACT chief health officer Dr Kerryn Coleman admitted health workers had yet to determine the source of two infections.

"Unfortunately they are quite complex cases and we still are continuing to investigate those and are waiting some test results," Dr Coleman said.

Ms Stephen-Smith urged Canberrans to get an influenza vaccination.

The minister said that a surge in the number of people seeking a flu shot had strained the supply of vaccines to pharmacies and GPs, but she said that situation was easing. There is no shortage for people eligible under the National Immunisation Program.

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