Posted April 05, 2020 16:44:21

Photo: Natasha Fyles says there have been no cases of community transmission in the NT to date. (ABC News: Michael Franchi)

A child under the age of two has tested positive to coronavirus in the Northern Territory after contracting the disease from a relative.

The toddler is the third person in their extended family to test positive to COVID-19, bringing the total of cases diagnosed in the NT to 27.

Territory Health Minister Natasha Fyles said the case was a person-to-person transmission, not community transfer.

"This is a case of an extended family trying to care for and manage loved ones returning from overseas," she said.

"This family has done everything right — the risk to the community is very low."

Photo: The toddler is at Royal Darwin Hospital. (Supplied: Jack Bullen)

Entire family in quarantine

Ms Fyles said after one member of the toddler's family became symptomatic, the entire family went into quarantine.

She said in the same family group there were two school-aged children who stopped going to school during this period.

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"We now have three contacts from the same group have now tested positive to COVID-19 in the Northern Territory," Ms Fyles said.

"The time frame does not put the community at risk.

"The rest of the family is so far well."

Ms Fyles said the initial patient contracted the virus from overseas, and the second person in the family to be diagnosed was an adult.

The child is the youngest person in the NT to test positive to COVID-19.

NT Centre for Disease Control director Vicki Krause said the child had a very mild case of the virus, and was currently receiving treatment at Royal Darwin Hospital.

"They will have contact with their parents and PPE [personal protective equipment] will be safeguarding the people who visit," she added.

Education Department CEO Karen Weston said the two school-aged children in the toddler's family group last went to school on March 25 for a half-day.

She said the children — neither of whom had tested positive to the virus —attended Leanyer Primary School.

Photo: Chief Minister Michael Gunner said Leanyer Primary School would remain open this week. (ABC News: Michael Franchi)

'No risk to students, staff and families'

In a post on Facebook, Chief Minister Michael Gunner said a parent of children who attended Leanyer Primary School had previously tested positive to COVID-19.

"The primary school child and a younger sibling has since tested negative for coronavirus. Another child in the family who is under two years of age, has tested positive," he said.

"I want to reassure you that based on health advice from the Chief Medical Officer, there is no risk to students, staff and families."

Mr Gunner said he appreciated that this news was "concerning" for the Leanyer school community.

"But I want to reassure you that the Chief Health Officer has confirmed that the family followed the right health advice and placed their children in quarantine in advance of the confirmed case of the parent," he said.

"The last day the child attended school was 10 days ago, on 25 March — during which the child was at school for half of the day.

"The child has been self-isolating with their family since."

Mr Gunner said the Leanyer Primary School would remain open this week as staff prepared to bring in flexible learning options in Term 2.

"Students are welcome to attend next week should learning from home not be an option," he said.

"Tomorrow, there will be a representative from Health at the school to respond to any questions families may have."

Topics: covid-19, diseases-and-disorders, health, health-policy, healthcare-clinic, healthcare-facilities, darwin-0800, nt, australia