The Chief Health Officer has declared a hotspot over the Byron Shire Council Local Government Area in New South Wales from 4.30pm today requiring all people returning to the NT to enter into mandatory supervised quarantine.
The Chief Health Officer is also directing those people who arrived in the NT between 26 March and 4:29pm on 30 March 2021 from the Byron Shire Council to self-quarantine and get tested, and remain in quarantine for 14 days, irrespective of returning a negative test.
The quarantine period starts on the date of departure from a declared hotspot and ends 14 days later, irrespective of how many of these days are spent in the Northern Territory. Self-quarantine may be undertaken at home, or at a suitable address, as long as the CHO Directions are complied with.
In addition, a watch and wait has been issued for the Gold Coast, while Queensland health authorities continue to investigate links to positive COVID-19 cases and contact tracing is undertaken across the region. If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, it is strongly recommended that you get tested and remain in self-quarantine until a negative test is returned.
The below Queensland Local Government Areas remain declared COVID-19 Hotspots for the purposes of travel to the Northern Territory from 4.30pm Monday 29 March:
· City of Brisbane
· Moreton Bay Region
· City of Ipswich
· Logan City
· Redland City
· Toowoomba Region
Anyone entering the Northern Territory from a declared hotspot must undertake 14 days of mandatory, supervised quarantine at the Alice Springs or Howard Springs quarantine facilities at a cost of $2,500 per person. Quarantine will be undertaken at the first urban centre you arrive at.
Existing and current CHO testing directions remain for the places and dates listed below and up until a hotspot declaration was made:
· Those who have arrived in the Northern Territory from the Toowoomba Region from 26 March 2021;
· Those who have arrived in the Northern Territory from the City of Ipswich, Logan City and Redland City from 25 March 2021;
· Those who have arrived in the Northern Territory from City of Brisbane and Moreton Bay region LGA’s from 20 March 2021;
· Those who have arrived in the Northern Territory from the City of Brisbane and Moreton Bay Region Local Government Areas between 12 March and 11.59pm on 19 March who are showing any symptoms of COVID-19;
· Those who have arrived, and continue to arrive in the Northern Territory from the Gladstone Region Local Government Area from 25 March 2021.
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.
Please contact the COVID-19 hotline 1800 008 002, to arrange a COVID-19 test. For all other enquiries call 1800 490 484.
The Chief Health Officer will continue to review and assess the COVID-19 situation across Queensland and New South Wales 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.
To stay up to date with the latest information visit www.coronavirus.nt.gov.au
Quotes attributable to Chief Health Officer Dr Hugh Heggie
“The situation in Queensland and Northern New South Wales is evolving and becoming clearer as the Queensland Authorities investigate the recent outbreaks originating in Greater Brisbane. As more information comes to hand I am reviewing, assessing and adjusting our COVID-19 directions as required.
“Today we have taken the additional step of declaring Byron Shire Council as a hotspot and directing all of those people who recently arrived in the NT from the area into self-quarantine for 14 days.
“Requiring people to self-quarantine at home, or an appropriate place for 14 days, builds on our existing testing directions for those people who have already arrived in the NT from the Byron Shire Council. We are taking this extra precaution to protect Territorians from the real and on-going risk of COVID-19.
“We have needed to take these immediate actions in response to the unfolding situation and increasing number of positive COVID-19 cases as they have been linked to a highly infectious strain of COVID-19.”