The Northern Territory has recorded its first case of coronavirus acquired locally.

The news comes as amid confirmation that four more people have contracted the virus in the NT and are now in the care of Royal Darwin Hospital, bringing the total to 26 confirmed cases as of Saturday.

Like the ACT, Northern Territory remains community transmission free as all of its confirmed cases remain linked to interstate or overseas travel.

A man in his 40s, a man in his 50s and a woman in her 50s became unwell while in self-quarantine after coming home from Africa, the UK and South America.

The fourth case was a woman in her 20s who was in self quarantine and in close family contact with a person diagnosed with the virus after returning home from overseas.

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner.

On Friday, Chief Minister Michael Gunner declared the Northern Territory the “safest place in Australia” as it had no deaths or reports of community transmission unlike the rest of the country.

“The rest of the country is full of coronavirus hot spots, we are a safe haven and we are trying to stay that way,” he said.

“I’ve made it as hard as possible for people to come here, we have said to the rest of the country: ‘We want you back one day, but for now you need to stay away, you are too dangerous’.”

04/04/2020 11:30am

🇦🇺 Total 5,523🔺165
🦠Active 4,875*

Deaths 29🔺1 (VIC)*
🏥ICU-84
💚Recovered 648

🔹Tested-277,278

NSW-2,493🔺104
VIC-1,115🔺30*
QLD-900🔺27
SA-396
WA-422
ACT-91
TAS-80
NT-26🔺4

— COVID19 Australia (@COVID_Australia) April 4, 2020

At that time, there were 2629 people legally required to be in 14 days of quarantine.

-with AAP