The Northern Territory has recorded two new local cases of COVID-19 overnight, Chief Minister Michael Gunner says.
A returned international traveller has also tested positive.
The two local cases are from Katherine: a 33-year-old woman who is the mother of a student at McFarlane Primary school and has connections to a previous positive case, and a 67-year-old man.
The number of cases in the outbreak now stands at 37.
There are now 423 close contacts, three of which are yet to be located.
The Katherine Centrelink office has been listed as a new close contact exposure site.
Anyone who visited Centrelink between 9:40am and 1:30am on Monday, November 15 must get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days.
Robinson River will move from a lockdown to a lockout, which is expected to end on December 1.
A lockout means fully vaccinated residents will be able to move about the community freely while wearing a mask but they must stay within the Robert River area, which includes the surrounding homelands.
"Robinson River has shown all Territorians how a lockdown can be done and won in a remote community — a highly vaccinated community, a high rate of testing and responding rapidly to an outbreak," Mr Gunner said.
"The vax rate in Robinson River has clearly made a massive difference."
No new cases have been recorded in the Binjari and Rockhole communities under hard lockdown. "Critical" tests are due back later today.
Katherine will remain in lockdown for a further 48 hours until 6pm Wednesday as authorities wait for the results of 1,300 COVID tests conducted in Katherine and surrounding communities, Mr Gunner said.
Authorities have also detected traces of COVID-19 in nearby wastewater catchments.
Four out of the current 37 cases are in hospital.
The condition of a 65-year-old woman who was previously receiving oxygen has improved.
Acting Chief Health Officer Charles Pain said while he was pleased no new COVID cases were detected in Binjari, “we are expecting more”.
“There are in a hard lockdown to protect them,” he said.
NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said he was disappointed that about eight Binjari residents broke COVID rules by leaving the community yesterday.
"Under the cover of darkness, they walked through a back track and ultimately got into the Katherine area," he said.
"Six of them were adults and they've now received $5,024 fines."
More to come.
Northern Territory records two new local COVID cases - ABC News
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment