A male mine worker, who arrived from Brisbane on 18 June 2021 has tested positive for COVID-19.

He works at the Granite Mine in Central Australia, and travelled on a charter flight to the Newmont Corporation gold mine in the Tanami Desert on Friday 18 June 2021.

It is believed he became infected during an overnight stay at a Brisbane quarantine hotel.

He is asymptomatic and well and is under the care of NT Health and is being transferred to the Centre for National Resilience.

Contact tracing has commenced for the approximately 900 people known to have left the mine since the 18th of June and taken charter flights to Darwin, Alice Springs, Perth and Brisbane. All have been contacted and directed to isolate and test immediately.

If they are unable to isolate in a suitable place, those in the NT will be directed to either the Centre for National Resilience at Howard Springs or the Todd Facility at Alice Springs.

It is critical that everyone in the NT is checking in and providing their contact details when visiting businesses and venues or participating in events as this is pivotal for our health teams to be able to quickly undertake contact tracing.

The total number of cases diagnosed in the Northern Territory is 179. All cases have been related to international or interstate travel, with no cases of community transmission.

Quotes attributable to Chief Health Officer Dr Hugh Heggie:

“Due to the nature of the positive case being located at a fly-in, fly-out mine site, there are a large number of close contacts that have been identified and a major contact tracing mission is underway.

“We will continue to keep Territorians informed as more information comes to hand.

“It is vital that all people check-in and provide their contact details when visiting business and venues in the NT, to assist our health teams quickly undertake contact tracing as required.”