Adelaide joins Sydney, Melbourne as NT hotspots amid Delta variant outbreak

Yet another Australian capital city has been locked out of the NT, with Greater Adelaide locked out following a cluster of five locally-acquired Covid-19 cases linked to a hospital.

GREATER Adelaide will be declared a hotspot by the Northern Territory government from 12.01am Wednesday.

But people from outside of the South Australian capital are still allowed to enter the NT.

Five cases of dangerous Delta variant have now been linked with a cluster at an Adelaide hospital, plunging our southern neighbours into a seven-day statewide lockdown.

Three of Australia’s five major capital cities are now locked out of the Territory.

Residents from Greater Sydney remain barred from entering as New South Wales health authorities reported 78 new cases on Tuesday.

Regional NSW remains open but travellers are being urged to monitor exposure sites.

Travellers from Greater Adelaide would be forced into mandatory isolation for two weeks. Picture: Che Chorley

In Victoria, Greater Melbourne, Greater Geelong, Mildura, the Bass Coast Shire and Shire of Moorabool remain declared hotspots.

There were 13 locally-acquired cases of the Delta strain reported in the state on Tuesday.

Travellers from Queensland have been warned to continue checking exposure sites on the Queensland government website, after one locally acquired case was reported there on Tuesday.

“What is important to understand is that the Delta variant has a much higher rate of infectivity and a shortened time for people to become infected with the virus and to infect others,” said NT chief health officer Hugh Heggie.

“The Delta variant also does more harm, as we are seeing in Sydney with a number of young people with COVID-19 being treated in the ICU and a number of people requiring ventilation.

“I urge everyone who is eligible in the Northern Territory to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Not only will it protect you and your family but it is the only way we can get life back to any sense of normal.’’