The Chief Health Officer has directed that anyone who has arrived in the Northern Territory between 17 April 2021 and 12:01am, 24 April 2021, and attended any of the higher risk Public Exposure Sites listed by Western Australian health officials here must undertake 14 days of self-isolation at a suitable place for quarantine, as directed by an authorised officer, and be tested on days 1, 7 and 12 after entering quarantine.

If a place of quarantine is deemed not to be suitable, the CHO will direct quarantine to be undertaken at Howard Springs or Alice Springs Quarantine Facilities.

This expands upon the direction by the Chief Health Officer on Friday 23 April 2021, that declared anyone who has arrived into the Northern Territory between 17 April 2021 and 12:01am on Friday 24 April 2021, and visited any of the exposure sites on the specified dates and times as identified by the Western Australian authorities must self-quarantine, book a test, and remain in quarantine until a negative test is returned.

Today’s direction follows on from another case linked to Perth’s hotel quarantine cluster, thought to have been transmitted at a restaurant, now listed by Western Australia as a high-risk public exposure site.

Other Chief Health Officer directions remain active, including:

·         Metropolitan Perth and Peel Region hotspot;

·         Mandatory supervised quarantine requirements for anyone who has arrived into the Northern Territory who travelled on QF778 between Perth and Melbourne on 21 April 2021; and

·         Testing and quarantine requirements for anyone in the Northern Territory who transited through Melbourne Airport’s Terminal 1 between the specified dates and times.

Anyone travelling to the Northern Territory from a COVID-19 Hotspot which currently includes Metropolitan Perth and the Peel Region of Western Australia from 12:00am on 24 April 2021 onward must undertake 14 days of mandatory, supervised quarantine at the Alice Springs or Howard Springs quarantine facilities. Quarantine will be undertaken at the first urban centre you arrive at, even if you were in transit to another destination.

If you believe you are captured by a current Chief Health Officer direction and are seeking further information please call the COVID-19 hotline on 1800 490 484.

To arrange a test, please contact the COVID-19 Hotline on 1800 490 484 or book online at covid19appointment.nt.gov.au. You do not need to have a COVID-19 test if you only transited to the airport unless you were at the airport during the specified date and time as identified by the Western Australian authorities here.

COVID-19 hotline operating hours have been extended and staffing capacity has been increased to meet demand.

If you are intending to travel to the Northern Territory from a COVID-19 Hotspot you are advised to rethink your plans. If you are a Territorian intending to travel to a hotspot you are advised to rethink your plans.

The Chief Health Officer will continue to review and assess the COVID-19 situation in Western Australia and will take into account COVID-19 monitoring and data collection, the extent of community transmission and risks to the NT community.

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.

To stay up to date with the latest information visit www.coronavirus.nt.gov.au

Quotes attributable to Chief Health Officer Dr Charles Pain

“This weekend I have continued to monitor the situation in Western Australia and, in line with the announcement of an additional case in Perth today, we have made the decision to tighten our restrictions in relation to anyone who has entered the Northern Territory having visited one of the listed higher risk Public Exposure Sites at the specified date and time.

“This is a timely reminder how highly transmissible this virus can be and how important it is to implement swift public health measures to protect the health and safety of all Australians.

“Keep informed of current Northern Territory health advice and take time to consider any unnecessary travel, particularly to Western Australia as the situation may change at any time.