The Chief Health Officer has declared quarantine and testing directions for people who have been to a COVID-19 public exposure site in New South Wales, effective immediately.
This follows on from a man in his 60s who lives is Sydney’s eastern suburbs testing positive for COVID-19. The man works as a driver, which includes transporting international flight crew. The man visited a number of locations while being potentially infectious.
The CHO is directing any person who has arrived in the Northern Territory since 1 June 2021, or who will arrive in the Northern Territory and has been to a New South Wales COVID-19 public exposure site at the dates and times to do as follows:
· Any person defined as a ‘close contact’ by New South Wales health authorities must immediately get tested and undertake 14 days of quarantine in their home or at a suitable place. They must remain in quarantine (unless to get tested) until noon of the 14th day after they were in a New South Wales COVID-19 case location, regardless of whether they return a negative COVID-19 test.
· Any person identified as a ‘casual contact’ by New South Wales health authorities must isolate, get a COVID-19 test and remain in self-quarantine until a negative test is returned.
· Any person who this Direction applies to must check the New South Wales Health COVID-19 case locations website at least once per day to make sure they comply if a place they have been to becomes a COVID-19 case location.
New South Wales COVID-19 public exposure sites can be found at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/case-locations-and-alerts.aspx
Greater Melbourne remains a declared hotspot for the purposes of travel to the Northern Territory.
To arrange a COVID test, please book online at coronavirus.nt.gov.au or contact the COVID-19 Hotline on 1800 490 484.
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.
The risk of COVID-19 in our communities cannot be eliminated which is why it is important for everyone to follow all health directions.
· Book your COVID-19 vaccine at https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/
· If you have symptoms, stay away from others and get tested for COVID-19.
· Wash your hands with soap and water and use hand sanitiser regularly.
· Do not go to work if you feel sick.
· Maintain a physical distance of 1.5 metres where possible.
Quotes attributable to Chief Health Officer, Dr Hugh Heggie
“NSW Health advised today of a new COVID-19 positive case in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. The man visited a number of venues while potentially infectious from 11 June 2021.
“I have declared a number of quarantine and testing directions in regards to public exposure sites relating back to 1 June 2021. This is to capture the previous public exposure sites relating to the couple that travelled from Victoria to Queensland as well as the new locations.
“NSW Health is working to urgently undertake contact tracing and we will continue to watch this closely as more information emerges.
“The man made extensive use of the NSW QR Code check-in system and this has proven a valuable tool for health authorities to rapidly undertake contact tracing. This case serves as a timely reminder to all Territorians to continue to check in when visiting NT venues.
“The man was detected as being positive as part of the routine testing of high risk workers in NSW. The NT also has a CHO Direction in place in regards to the testing of quarantine and high risk workers and this highlights the value of this public health measure.
“Greater Melbourne remains a declared hotspot for the purposes of travel to the Northern Territory. We are continuing to watch the situation closely with five new cases recorded including a nurse who potentially poses a high risk as they work with vulnerable people across a number of health care settings.”