No new Covid-19 cases recorded in NT overnight, following nine Binjari cases

No new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded overnight in the NT, following nine cases on Saturday in the Aboriginal community of Binjari, near Katherine.

UPDATE: NO new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded overnight in the NT, following nine cases on Saturday in the Aboriginal community of Binjari, near Katherine.

The Binjari community was plunged into a “hard lockdown” along with the neighbouring Rockhole community following the positive results.

Under the hard lockdown residents may only leave their homes and yards for medical treatment or in an emergency

The positive cases are four females and five males aged between 17 and 78. Their vaccination status has not been confirmed yet.

The 78-year-old female has been transferred to Royal Darwin Hospital since presenting to Katherine Hospital with symptoms, while the rest have been transported to the Howard Springs quarantine facility.

There were 3,005 Covid-19 tests processed in Territory in the last 24 hours.

Addressing the media on Sunday, Chief Minister Michael Gunner said authorities believe more positive cases would emerge in Binjari and Rockhole.

Mr Gunner said the positive cases were “very concerning but not surprising”.

“What’s more concerning is evidence or substantial mingling between households of Binjari as well as mingling back and forth between Binjari and the nearby community of Rockhole, which is about 130 residents,” he said.

Mr Gunner said the NT government had taken “strong measures” in the two communities due to the “extreme” threat to lives.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said authorities expect more positive Covid-19 cases in the NT. Picture: Julianne Osborne

“An expanded rapid assessment team was deployed in Binjari and Rockhole last night to help with the hard lockdown, begin the contact tracing work and provide as much support as possible to residents,” he said.

“This includes providing food and other essential items to residents.”

He said the co-operation of the two communities has thus far been “phenomenal”.

“It’s highly likely that more residents will be transferred to Howard Springs (quarantine facility) today either as positive cases or close contacts,” Mr Gunner said.

“We’ve already identified 38 close contacts in Binjari and that number will go up.

“Those 38 are being transferred now.”

Contact tracers have identified an additional 30 close contacts since Saturday, bringing the total number in the NT to 385. There are 11 close contacts yet to be located.

Mr Gunner said that based on the level of movement that has been happening in some communities outside of Katherine, there was a “real risk” the virus has spread to other connected communities further away.

A mask mandate has been issued for communities in the West Daly and Roper Gulf local government areas, meaning residents in these areas are required to wear a mask when outside their homes and are unable to keep a distance of 1.5m with people they don’t live with.

Mr Gunner said about 20 ADF personnel and army trucks would be deployed to assist with transferring residents, following contact with Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday night.

“We’re doing an assessment today of what extra resources we might need from the (federal government) and the prime minister is ready to help further,” Mr Gunner said.

The exact vaccination rate of Binjari and Rockhole has not been made public, but it has been described by the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress as “very low”.

Mr Gunner said 29 vaccines were administered in Rockhole on Saturday, of which 27 were first doses.

Apart from Binjari, there were also positive wastewater results in the Bicentennial Rd catchment, indicating there was likely a positive case or multiple cases in the area, Mr Gunner said.

He urged Katherine residents, particularly those living in the positive catchment area, to get tested. There were 221 tests processed in Katherine on Saturday.

The Marlow Lagoon catchment, which had a positive wastewater reading on Saturday, has come back negative after a second test.

Mr Gunner said a decision on the Katherine-Robinson River lockdown measures will be made Monday morning but it was unlikely Binjari or Rockhole would exit lockdown any time soon.

“At this stage, there is very little chance of Binjari and Rockhole exiting any form of lockdown in the next few weeks,” Mr Gunner said.

“For the rest of the region … if and when the lockdown ends, it won’t go straight back to normal.

“It will be a transition out of lockdown – that most likely means that will go into a lock out footing.”

EARLIER: Chief Minister Michael Gunner will provide an update at 11.05am on Sunday on the Territory’s Covid-19 cluster, which has now spread to the Aboriginal community of Binjari, near Katherine.

Nine cases of Covid-19 were reported late Saturday night in Binjari, located about 15km southwest of Katherine.

The Binjari community – which is located within the Katherine lockdown area – has since entered into a “hard lockdown”.

The neighbouring Rockhole community of about 130 people, has also gone into a hard lockdown on advice of “significant mingling between the communities”.

The new cases follow on from Covid-19 testing undertaken in the community on Friday and repeated positive wastewater results.

Earlier on Saturday, Mr Gunner announced an overhaul of travel into the Territory from Monday, with a reliance rapid antigen testing, a traffic-light system for hotspots and home quarantine for Darwin and Alice Springs.

Hailing the success of the home quarantine trial, Chief Minister Michael Gunner said arrivals from both interstate and overseas Covid-19 hotspots would be able to quarantine for just seven days.

Participants will be tested at regular intervals before, during and after quarantine, with housemates able to attend work and go about life.

MORE TO COME.

Originally published as No new Covid-19 cases recorded in NT overnight, following nine Binjari cases