Territory couple tests positive to coronavirus after cruise
A TERRITORY couple who disembarked from the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Sydney and flew to Darwin has tested positive to coronavirus (COVID-19)
Northern Territory
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A TERRITORY couple who disembarked from the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Sydney and flew to Darwin tested positive to coronavirus (COVID-19) on Saturday.
This brings the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus COVID-19 in the NT to five in total.
The couple in their 50s flew from Sydney on flight JQ672 and arrived in Darwin at 11.30pm on March 19.
A family member picked them up and took them home where they remained in isolation. They began feeling unwell and contaced the pandemic clinic before returning positive results to the virus on Saturday.
NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles said they followed all of the correct protocols and have not been exposed to anyone other than immediate family and friends in the Territory.
“The risk to our community is very low,” she said.
They have both been admitted to an isolated part of the Royal Darwin Hospital.
Ms Fyles also announced that the Howard Springs mining camp would be reopened from Monday to house new cases that emerge.
“We want to make sure we conserve the clinical resources for those who need to be in hospital,” she said.
The couple were two of around 2,700 passengers who disembared the cruise ship in Sydney on Thursday after doing a short cruise around the Pacific to New Zealand.
However, under the guidelines introduced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison this week, they were able to transit home before being forced into 14 days isolation.
“My advice is that there was no coronavirus cases on that ship,” Ms Fyles said.
“For now these measure are designed to stop the spread but also allow people to get home.”
The other four cases of coronavirus in the NT also remain in isolation in the Royal Darwin Hospital.
It comes after two Territorians - one who travelled from Europe and one from the US - tested positive for the COVID-19 on Friday.
Originally published as Territory couple tests positive to coronavirus after cruise