What we know about the 28 Northern Territory COVID-19 cases

THERE have now been 28 confirmed NT coronavirus cases. Here is what we know so far about all those who tested positive for the virus in the NT

This is what we know so far about all ofthe NT’s confirmed coronavirus cases

THERE have now been 28 confirmed Northern Territory coronavirus cases.

All of those cases — regardless of whether they usually live in the NT or not — tested for coronavirus while in the Northern Territory.

In addition to those 28, a Territory man tested positive while in Sydney and is being treated in the NSW health system.

Out of the 28 cases to be diagnosed in the NT, 26 are Territorians. The other two are interstate visitors who tested positive while visiting Darwin, a NSW man and a Qld woman.

Of the 28 coronavirus victims to be treated in the Territory, six of those cases have now fully recovered.

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Here is what we know so far about all 28 NT coronavirus cases.

1. A 52-year-old New South Wales resident – tested positive on March 4

THE first confirmed case to test positive to COVID-19 in the NT was a tourist from Sydney who was confirmed as having the virus on the evening of March 4.

The man shopped at the Woolworths in Darwin City and checked in to the Ramada Zen Quarter Hotel before seeking medical treatment as he felt unwell.

He drove himself to the Royal Darwin Hospital and was immediately isolated there.

He has remained isolated at the hospital since.

Shoppers at the Darwin City Woolworths and guests staying at the Ramada Zen Quarter Hotel were alerted to the man’s actions in the days following his positive test result.

The hotel closed off the room the man was in for cleaning.

NT Health Chief Executive Catherine Stoddart said that the man will be released from hospital once he returns two negative tests to the virus in a row.

He is being tested daily.

FULL LIST: Flights linked to NT coronavirus cases

2. A 21-year-old Darwin woman – tested positive on March 19

A 21-YEAR-OLD woman was confirmed to have tested positive to coronavirus on Thursday, March 19, making her the third person to test positive to the virus in the NT.

The woman arrived in Darwin on flight QF824 at midday on March 19 from Utah in the United States.

The flight also travelled through San Francisco and Brisbane.

She went into self-isolation immediately and was later tested at the Royal Darwin Hospital Pandemic Clinic after developing a sore throat and a cough.

She is now in isolation in Royal Darwin Hospital.

Authorities are now in the process of tracking down the people who were on her flight.

3. A Darwin man in his 30s – tested positive on March 19

ALSO testing positive for COVID-19 in the NT on Thursday, March 19, was a Darwin man in his mid 30s.

The man arrived in Darwin on Flight JQ82 at 5am on March 19 from Zagreb, Croatia.

The flight also travelled through Istanbul and Denpasar.

He had isolated himself before seeking medical treatment as he was feeling mildly unwell with flu-like symptoms.

He was confirmed to have the virus that evening.

The NT News understands that the man, who is originally from Darwin, had been travelling around Europe for several years and was returning home to visit a friend.

The flight he was on did not connect through any other cities in Australia.

Centre for Disease Control director, Vicki Krause, said he tried to see a GP in Darwin before being referred to Darwin’s new pandemic clinic.

“He came in from overseas and was feeling mildly unwell with upper respiratory symptoms, basically feeling somewhat flu like,” she said.

“He was in quarantine but felt he should see his GP.

“He tried to see a GP but wasn’t able to at that time but was referred onto the pandemic clinic and was able to have the appropriate tests done.

Authorities are now in the process of tracking down people who may have come in close contact with him.

The man was initially in quarantine at home but is now isolated at the Royal Darwin Hospital.

4 and 5. A Territory couple – tested positive on March 21

NT Minister Health, Natasha Fyles, announced on Saturday, March 21, that a Territory couple who disembarked the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Sydney had become the fourth and fifth people to test positive to the virus in the Territory.

The couple in their 50s flew from Sydney on Jetstar Flight JQ672 which 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 contacted the pandemic clinic before returning positive results on Saturday.

Ms Fyles said that 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.

The couple were two of around 2700 passengers who disembarked the cruise ship in Sydney on Thursday, March 19, after a short cruise around the Pacific to New Zealand.

However, under the new guidelines introduced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, they were able to transit home before being forced into 14 days isolation.

6. A Darwin man in his 70s – tested positive on March 23

NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles announced on Tuesday, March 24, that a Darwin man in his 70s had become the sixth confirmed coronavirus case to test positive in the NT.

The man returned to Darwin from Sydney on Flight QF840 on Friday, March 20, arriving at 1pm.

In a statement, the Top End Public Health Unit said other passengers on the flight should monitor their health until Friday, April 3, and arrange testing if they develop any symptoms.

The statement said the man and his partner both followed all public health protocols and went straight into isolation, and there was little risk to the NT community.

The man has been admitted to Royal Darwin Hospital.

7 and 8. A Darwin couple in their 70s – tested positive on March 25

The couple followed self-quarantine protocols on their return to Darwin two days beforehand and went to Royal Darwin Hospital after feeling unwell.

They are now in isolation under the care of the NT Health system, with contract tracing underway.

9 and 10. A couple from Katherine – tested positive on March 26

The Katherine couple, aged in their 60s, had returned from a holiday in South Africa on Silk Air flight MI801 from Singapore to Darwin on Saturday 21 March.

11. and 12. An NT police officer and his partner from Central Australia – tested positive on March 26

Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker has reassured the people of Harts Range in Central Australia, where the officer and his partner had been self-isolating, that they had taken all appropriate precautions to avoid contact with any members of the public.

The couple was moved from Harts Range — to be cared for at the Alice Springs Hospital — when they began to feel unwell.

However, word of two people testing for the virus late on Thursday quickly caused uncertainty within Central Australian communities when details continued to remain scant overnight and for much of Friday.

And NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles would not confirm whether the two Central Australian coronavirus cases lived or worked in a remote community on Friday morning despite being given multiple opportunities to clarify the situation at a press conference.

13. A woman from Queensland – tested positive on March 26

The woman in her 20s arrived in Darwin on Thursday 26 March on Qantas flight QF2 from London and went to Royal Darwin Hospital.

The Queensland woman’s case will be recorded in that state’s statistics.

14. A Darwin woman in her 50s – tested positive on March 27

She was in self-quarantine for a number of days after returning from Pakistan before developing mild symptoms.

The delay between returning home from travelling and becoming unwell means she is not considered to have been infectious on her flights.

15. A Darwin man in his 30s – tested positive on March 28

The man returned from South America a week before and was in self-quarantine before becoming unwell.

He is now in isolation at the Royal Darwin Hospital under the care of NT Health.

The man travelled to the Northern Territory on Sunday March 22 on QF796 from Melbourne to Alice Springs and then from Alice Springs to Darwin on QF2974.

Contact tracing on these flights is underway.

16. A cruise ship passenger in her 40s – tested positive on March 31

The woman is a cruise ship passenger who had returned from Europe on the MSC Fantasia.

Contract tracing is not required for the cruise ship passenger due to the delay in her becoming unwell. She was admitted to Royal Hospital for isolation.

17. A woman in her 40s – tested positive on March 31

The woman had returned to Darwin from the Philippines via Sydney on QF840 on Friday, march 27.

Health authorities are contacting people who were in close contact with the woman aboard the QF840 flight, and others considered a casual contact are being urged to keep track of their health.

18. A man in his late 20s – tested positive on March 31

The man flew from Sydney to Darwin on flight VA1351 on Friday March 20, 2020 after being overseas.

NT Public Health will contact travellers who were seated close to the Territorian.

19. A man in his late 20s – tested positive on March 31

The Territorian travelled on flight QF838 from Melbourne to Darwin on Wednesday March 25, 2020.

NT Public Health will contact travellers who were seated close to the man.

26. A Darwin woman in her 20s – tested positive on April 2

The Territorian tested positive after returning from Bali on flight JQ82 on Friday, March 20.

She was in self-quarantine and has since been admitted to Royal Darwin Hospital.

Passengers on flight JQ82 should be in self-quarantine until Friday, April 3, and if are unwell are being urged to contact their doctor or the Centre for Disease Control to arrange testing for COVID-19.

21. An Alice Springs woman – tested positive on April 2

The woman had recently returned from the Gold Coast.

She is in the care of Alice Springs Hospital after being in self-quarantine since her return.

Under national medical guidelines, contact tracing on her flights is not required due to the delay between her return and becoming unwell.

22. An Alice Springs woman - tested positive on April 2

The woman in her 20s, who had recently returned from the United Kingdom, tested positive for the virus on the evening of April 2.

The woman had been in self-quarantine since returning from overseas.

Under national medical guidelines, contact tracing on her flight is not required due to the delay between her return and becoming unwell.

She is now in the care of Alice Springs Hospital.

23. A Darwin man - tested positive on April 3

The man, aged in his 40s, had been in self-quarantine after returning home from Africa when he became unwell.

24. A Darwin man - tested positive on April 3

The man, aged in his 50s, became unwell while in self-quarantine after returning from the United Kingdom.

25. A Darwin woman - tested positive on April 3

The woman, aged in her 50s, who had travelled to South America became unwell while in self-quarantine.

26. A Darwin woman - tested positive on April 3

The woman, in her 20s, was in self-quarantine and is a close family contact of another Territorian already diagnosed with COVID-19 who had returned from overseas.

27. A Darwin child - tested positive on April 5

The child aged under two years old was the third person in his family to test positive and was in self quarantine after a close family contact, already diagnosed, had returned from overseas. The child had two school aged siblings who attended Leanyer Primary School, however the school community have been told there is very low risk due to the timeline.

28. A Darwin woman - tested positive on April 6

The woman, aged in her 30s, had been self-quarantining after returning home on Qantas flight QF840 from Sydney to Darwin on Saturday March 28.

In accordance with national medical guidelines, the Centre for Disease Control is undertaking contact tracing for this flight.

The woman is now under the care of Royal Darwin Hospital.

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In addition to the 28 people who have tested positive in the NT, it is also known that a Territory man tested positive while in Sydney and is being treated in the NSW health system.

Darwin man in NSW – tested positive on March 25

The man tested positive while in quarantine in New South Wales.

The man, aged in his 60s, was a passenger on the Ruby Princess cruise ship and had stayed in Sydney after becoming unwell.

He is being treated within the NSW health system NSW health authorities.