‘Negative in all the right areas’: NT on track for restrictions to ease on Friday, no new Covid-19 cases
Territorians can look forward to removing their face mask, with the NT on track for restrictions to ease on Friday.
Centralian Advocate
Don't miss out on the headlines from Centralian Advocate. Followed categories will be added to My News.
TERRITORIANS can look forward to removing their face masks and busting a move on the dancefloor, with the NT on track for restrictions in Greater Darwin and Alice Springs to ease on Friday.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner said on Sunday Territorians had excelled at coming out of lockdown, with very good compliance overall and no new cases recorded.
“It’s negative in all the right areas,” he said.
Mr Gunner said contact tracers were “closing off the loop” at the Buff Club in Darwin, with just five Covid-19 test results from close contacts pending, while tests from the rest of the 180-person cohort have come back Covid-free.
Just seven results are pending from 104 tests taken of close contacts to the positive case who visited the Stuart Park Corner Store.
Mr Gunner said Alice Springs was showing “good signs”, after contact tracers identified 37 close contacts of the positive case in Central Australia, of which 26 had returned negative Covid-19 tests while 11 tests are pending.
Mr Gunner also said wastewater testing results had come back negative for coronavirus fragments in both Alice Springs and Greater Darwin, except in the catchment areas of Howard Springs and Royal Darwin Hospital, where authorities expected to see traces of the virus.
Territorians checked in using the Territory Check In app more than 280,000 times since the Territory lockdowns were lifted on Friday, which shows that individuals and businesses are taking their responsibilities seriously, Mr Gunner said.
MORE TOP NEWS
‘UTTERLY DISGUSTING’: Woman charged after allegedly spitting at bar staffer’s face
Worker fined for breaching isolation directions at Tanami mine
Self-quarantine for vaccinated Aussies still far off for the NT: Gunner
Chief health officer Dr Hugh Heggie thanked Territorians for their efforts, and said the community was lucky to be able to go on with life almost as normal.
“We dodged a bullet, that’s for sure,” he said.
“At the moment, we seem to have control of this outbreak, but this isn’t over yet, so that’s why there needs to be some controls.”
NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker praised Territorians’ behaviour, which he said had been compliant for the most part.
He said he had been made aware of some businesses that were promoting that they would not be enforcing mask-wearing.
“Let me say this: that is inappropriate behaviour,” he said.
“The directions are the directions, they are clearly in place.”
“Every business owner should have a great sense of community commitment to make sure that people do the right thing, because it’s in your best interest that your business will remain open.”
Small Business Minister Paul Kirby said almost 1500 businesses had applied for a one-off $1000 payment from the Territory government to help cover ongoing costs after hundreds of small businesses took “a shot in the arm” when the NT’s lockdown measures came into place.
He acknowledged that many businesses, like those operating in the tourism industry, would be affected by the tail of the lockdown, and promised that government would “work closely” with them in the coming months.
Tourism Australia chief executive Alex Bruce said businesses were relishing the return of customers and were “incredibly humbled” by the support of Territorians.
“We’re just happy to be open again,” he said.
“Many restaurants, bars and pubs are now able to rely on local trade again, which we don’t take for granted – Territorians have been phenomenal.”
Mr Bruce said the one-off governments payments “didn’t touch the sides” of what was lost for many businesses that were forced to shut for the week, and flagged a “challenging path forwards” for the tourism space, which he said is among the hardest hit by the lockdown and ongoing border restrictions.
Elderly woman successfully fends off handbag thief
A 76-year-old woman has fought off a teen who tried to steal her handbag outside a shopping centre.
Barkly grog fiend knocks partner out then kicks her flush in the face
A Tennant Creek man who assaulted his partner twice, the second time knocking her out cold on a public street then sinking his foot into her face, has avoided jail after counsellors found he was mending his ways.