Defence personnel from ‘multiple countries around the world’ quarantining at unidentified Darwin site

A ‘COUPLE of hundred’ Defence force personnel ‘from multiple countries around the world’ are quaranting at a secret ‘stand-alone facility’, rather than at Howard Springs

A “COUPLE of hundred” Defence force personnel “from multiple countries around the world“ are quaranting at a secret “stand-alone facility”, rather than at Howard Springs

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Health Minister Natasha Fyles confirmed that the Defence personnel — “from multiple countries around the world”’ — as well as their families, were to arrive in Darwin on Monday.

She said the personnel would not be quarantining at the Howard Springs facility but in an unspecified “stand-alone facility”.

Ms Fyles would not say where the unidentified site was but she said the whole facility would be utilised by defence.

The Minister also said she would not be revealing which countries the arriving personnel were coming to Darwin from.

Ms Fyles also announced that there have been no changes to current COVID-19 hotspots, with the NT Government “closely monitoring” clusters in parts of New South Wales and in Victoria..

From Monday, the NSW Government has made mask wearing mandatory in Greater Sydney, as well as in the Wollongong, Central Coast and Blue Mountains areas.

Face coverings must now be worn in all shops, public transport, cinemas and theatres, places of worship, hair and beauty businesses and aged care facilities.

NSW Police can issue $200 on-the-spot fines for people caught not wearing a mask.

However, as of Monday, the NT Government had not declared the Wollongong, NSW Central Coast or Blue Mountains regions hot spots, which means that travellers from those areas can travel freely to the Territory without having to quarantine.

Currently, the Greater Sydney area is the only NT Government-declared COVID-19 hot spot for the purpose of travel to the NT.

Ms Fyles’ announcements came after eight new COVID-19 cases were recorded over the long weekend, with seven being people off repatriation flights, and one being a crew member of the Diamantina cattle export ship.

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Ms Fyles said the ship remains in the Darwin Harbour, with the Health Department “heavily involved” in any plans for the ship to move on.

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