NT Chief Health Officer has declared a hotspot over Greater Melbourne and Bendigo Local Government Areas for the purposes for travel to the Northern Territory from 12.01am Thursday, May 27, 2021.
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These hotspot declarations are required to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria and the significant rise in the number of positive COVID-19 cases seen.
People with COVID-19 have visited a number of venues across Greater Melbourne and in Bendigo and surrounds while infectious.
Victorian health authorities are undertaking considerable work to investigate, trace and interview close contacts to determine the sources of transmission.
NT Chief Health Officer directions in regards to the COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria require:
- Anyone travelling to the Northern Territory from a COVID-19 hotspot which currently includes Greater Melbourne and Bendigo Local Government Areas must undertake 14 days of mandatory, supervised quarantine at the Alice Springs or Howard Springs quarantine facilities from 12:01am on 27 May 2021.
- Anyone who has arrived into the Northern Territory from the Greater Melbourne or Bendigo Local Government Areas between 12 May 2021 and 12.00am on 27 May 2021 must immediately self-isolate, get a COVID-19 test and remain in self-quarantine until a negative is returned.
- Anyone who is currently in the Northern Territory who has visited a Tier 1 Exposure Site in Victoria and is undertaking quarantine must remain in quarantine (unless to get tested) until noon of the 14th day after they were at the exposure site, regardless of returning a negative COVID-19 test or not. Should the Tier 1 site be downgraded to Tier 2 or Tier 3 site, impacted people may leave quarantine at this time as long as they are not awaiting a COVID-19 test result.
- Anyone who arrived in the Northern Territory between 12 May 2021 and 12.00am on 27 May 2021 who has been to a public exposure site listed by the Victorian Department of Health must check the Victorian Department of Health website at least once per day to ensure they are complying with NT quarantine and testing directions if a place they have been to becomes a public exposure site.
"The potential for community spread is significant and the number of new cases demonstrates this to be a highly transmissible strain of COVID-19. There is also uncertainty about some of the sources of transmission which poses a greater risk to the Northern Territory, particularly as tourism and visitor numbers increase," Chief Health Officer, Dr Charles Pain, said.
"For these reasons, we are going hard and wide early to declare Greater Melbourne and Bendigo Local Government Areas as hotspots. We will be agile in reviewing this and responding when the risk and threat to Territorians subsides.
"With a significant influx of visitors to the NT, it is critical that the health and safety of Territorians remains our first priority."
A list of Greater Melbourne Local Government Areas declared as COVID-19 hotspots can be found at https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/travel/quarantine/hotspots-covid-19
Victorian public exposure sites continue to change and impacted individuals are required to identify themselves to Northern Territory health authorities, and follow the relevant directions.
A list of Victorian public exposure sites can be found here.
To book a COVID-19 test, contact the COVID-19 Hotline on 1800 490 484 or book online.
The Chief Health Officer will continue to review and assess the COVID-19 situation across Australia, and will take into account COVID-19 monitoring and data collection, the extent of community transmission and risks to the NT community.
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The risk of COVID-19 in our communities cannot be eliminated which is why it is important for everyone to follow all health directions.
- If you have COVID-19 symptoms, do not travel. Make sure you get tested and stay at home.
- Maintain a physical distance of 1.5 metres at all times.
- Wash your hands with soap and water and use hand sanitiser regularly.
- Do not go to work if you feel sick.
- If you have symptoms, stay away from others and get tested for COVID-19.
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