The Chief Health Officer has declared hotspots across parts of the NSW Central West region for the purposes of travel to the Northern Territory effective from 5pm on Wednesday 21 July 2021.
Hotspot locations include:
· Orange City Council
· Blayney Shire Council
· Cabonne Shire Council
Anyone travelling to the Northern Territory, who has been to the hotspot locations in the NSW Central Coast region after 5pm on 21 July 2021 and arrives in the Northern Territory will be required to undertake 14 days of mandatory supervised quarantine at the Alice Springs or Howard Springs quarantine facilities.
Anyone who has left the Central West region of NSW before 5pm on 21 July 2021 is able to enter into the Northern Territory without having to undertake quarantine. This hotspot declaration does not extend back the usual 14 days.
This hotspot declaration is required to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak in New South Wales after a delivery driver who travelled from south-west Sydney to the Central West region tested positive to COVID-19.
Anyone already in the Northern Territory who has been to a COVID-19 public exposure site in New South Wales must follow the quarantine and testing directions already in place and listed on the NT COVID-19 website at https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/travel/quarantine/hotspots-covid-19
Public exposure sites continue to change and it is important that those people who have arrived in the Northern Territory from New South Wales check the NSW Health website daily to review the list of public exposure sites and comply with the directions.
A list of declared COVID-19 hotspots can be found on the NT COVID-19 website https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/
To book a COVID-19 test, contact the COVID-19 Hotline on 1800 490 484 or book online at https://covid19appointment.nt.gov.au/test
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.
· Check in using The Territory Check In App every time, everywhere
· 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:
“The New South Wales Central West region has gone into a seven-day lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
“To reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading to the NT we have responded by declaring parts of the NSW Central West region as hotspots to prevent people from that area travelling here.
“Declaring hotspots is never easy but as we are dealing with the highly infectious Delta strain, they are needed to protect our community. We don’t want to experience another lockdown in the Territory and we need to implement these health controls to make sure we reduce the risk of COVID-19.”