A 30-year-old man who travelled to Katherine from Darwin following 14 days in hotel quarantine after arriving from the United States, stayed at the Katherine resort on August 15.

Since the revelation, Knotts Crossing Resort general manager, Joanna Pace said business has been slashed in half.

"Everything had been going really, really well and over the past 48 hours everything has crashed," Ms Pace said.

"Occupancy here has dropped by around 50 per cent over the course of 48 hours and today [August 17] we are at 44 per cent.

"We have been trading at Knotts Crossing close to 100 per cent since last July."

The ten employees who entered reception at the time periods identified as having the potential for exposure are isolating, with five sent to Howards Springs and the remaining in private isolation.

"We are now working with very limited staff. The team onsite are doing an absolutely fantastic job trying to cope with the situation when we have customers who are expecting our service," Ms Pace said.

"Any enquiries for accommodation for people coming to Katherine we're trying to deviate to our other hotel [the Contour Hotel] at the moment because people still require accommodation, it's an essential service."

Ms Pace said having transformed the Knotts Crossing Resort into a quarantine centre last year, her team are experienced at crisis management.

"We have been here before, we're experienced with these crises and emergencies now. We're not in the dark, we know what to do and how to react," Ms Pace said.

"The biggest unfortunate situation is that we have had a positive case on the property, that's probably a case of very bad luck.

"We're undergoing strict cleaning procedures and are in contact with the Department of Environment Services as to what we're required to do."

While the future is uncertain for all affected businesses, Ms Pace, who has adopted a 'don't give up' mentality, encourages fellow business owners to do the same.

"Keep going and don't take this opportunity to close down," she said.

"Do the best you can under the situation you're in to continue to derive as much business as you can to keep your business open so that when we come out the other side, you're able to thrive.

"The minute you close your business, you're on the back foot."

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