ACT records first Omicron virus case

The fully vaccinated person returned a positive test result on Wednesday, with genomic testing subsequently confirming the variant.

ACT Health is undertaking further contact tracing and has identified several exposure sites across November 29 and 30, including an indoor pool and a school end of year celebration.

Casual contacts who attended those sites must immediately quarantine and remain isolated until they receive a negative test result.

The individual had not travelled overseas but it's not yet known if the case was acquired in the ACT or NSW, ACT Health said in a statement on Friday.

"Due to the evolving situation with the Omicron variant, out of caution and in line with other jurisdictions, ACT Health has increased the quarantine requirements for close contacts regardless of vaccination status," the statement said.

"This means that anyone identified as a close contact of someone with the Omicron variant is required to quarantine for 14 days. All household contact members of the close contact are also required to quarantine for 14 days."

ACT Health said testing centres would be open across the weekend and there was likely to be increased demand.

Four new cases of COVID -19 were detected in the ACT during the past reporting period.

The case numbers were one of the lowest daily figures since the Delta outbreak began in Canberra during August.

Vaccination rates remain at 97.9 per cent double-dosed for people in the ACT 12 and over.

In reassuring news, the number of COVID cases who are hospitalised has fallen.

There are now four patients in hospital with COVID-19, and of those three are in intensive care.

None of the hospitalised cases are on a ventilator.

There was a slight drop in testing numbers, with 1227 negative tests in the past day.

There are now 120 active cases in the Canberra community.

Australian Associated Press