NT brings in mandatory quarantine for travellers from South Australia residents after cluster outbreak

THE Northern Territory will immediately impose new restrictions for travellers from South Australia as the state deals with its worst COVID cluster yet. It has thrown the Christmas plans of thousands of Territorians into disarray.

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THE Northern Territory will immediately impose new restrictions for travellers from South Australia as the state deals with its worst COVID cluster yet with 17 new cases, Chief Minister Michael Gunner says.

Mr Gunner and Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie made the announcement during a press conference at 8.30am today, while two flights from Adelaide to Darwin were still in the air.

“The Security and Emergency Management Committee has just met to review the alarming developments in South Australia overnight,” he said.

“All the information we’re getting right now concerns us, and there is still so much we don’t know about this outbreak.

“That’s the critical point here is what we don’t know that worries us the most given this, we are declaring South Australia, a hotspot for the purposes of travel to Northern Territory effective immediately.

“That means people who are arriving here from South Australia this morning will be directed to supervised quarantine or given the option of returning to South Australia, and people who intend to travel here later today from South Australia will need to make a decision now to stay there, or if they do come here to enter supervise quarantine.

“Because of this late notice those who enter the Northern Territory today or tomorrow from South Australia will not need to pay the $2500 (quarantine fee).

“We are casting a wide net – all of South Australia – and hopefully once we know more, we can narrow the hot spot.”

There are two flights from Adelaide due to touch down at Darwin airport at about 9.45am this morning.

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Another two Adelaide flights will to arrive in Alice Springs at 1pm and 1.30pm.

The border closure to South Australia has thrown Christmas plans into disarray for ex-South Australian Territorians who had planned to go home for Christmas.

It has also meant South Australians planning to see family and friends in the Territory for Christmas may now have to change plans.

It is not known how long the border closure will be in place, however, when a similar cluster occurred in Sydney in July, the NT border was closed to Greater Sydney for three months.

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Originally published as NT brings in mandatory quarantine for travellers from South Australia residents after cluster outbreak