TORONTO -- What was initially believed to be Nunavut鈥檚 first confirmed COVID-19 case has turned out to be a false positive.

On April 30, a single person tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the northern community of Pond Inlet on the upper tip of Baffin Island.

But in a press release Monday, officials revealed that further testing had proven that the first positive result was a mistake.

鈥淎s there were no other positive COVID-19 tests in Pond Inlet, we decided to ask for the original swab to be re-tested,鈥� Dr. Michael Patterson, Nunavut鈥檚 Chief Public Health Officer, said in the press release.

He said they had a very comprehensive system set up to trace who had come into contact with potential carriers of the virus. More than 20 people who had come into contact with the potential COVID-19 case were tested out of fears that they could have the virus, but none tested positive.

Patterson told media that the individual who had falsely tested positive had not 鈥渂een outside of Pond Inlet for some time,鈥� and that they couldn鈥檛 identify 鈥渁n exposure to COVID-19.鈥�

The initial test was repeated on Friday, and confirmed in a lab in Ontario to be negative.

鈥淲e believe that the individual in Pond Inlet does not and never did have COVID-19,鈥� he said.

鈥淭here is always a chance of false positive or false negative results,鈥� he added.

"When interpreting results and deciding on an appropriate course of action, we consider many pieces of information, of which test results are just one piece.鈥�

The community of Pond Inlet, which is home to only 1,600 people, was initially cut off from the rest of Nunavut as a precautionary measure following the announcement of a case of COVID-19. Travel in or out of the community was banned.

These measures and restrictions on businesses within the community have now been lifted in wake of the announcement of the false positive test.

鈥淲hile this is a relief for many Nunavummiut, it does not mean anyone should relax or ease up on physical distancing, handwashing and cleaning surfaces often, and staying home,鈥� Premier Joe Savikataaq said in the press release. 鈥淧lease remain diligent in practicing these measures and keeping yourself and one another well. It鈥檚 up to all of us to keep our communities safe.鈥�

In Canada, Nunavut remains the only province or territory to have zero confirmed cases of COVID-19.