Alice Springs to go into lockdown after man with symptoms visits airport, tests positive interstate
Visitors to an airport cafe in Alice Springs have been warned to self-isolate immediately after an infected man travelled through the venue. It comes as the Chief Minister flags optimism for the Top End’s lockdown.
Northern Territory
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THE Red Centre has been plunged into a three-day lockdown after an infected man spent almost seven hours in the Alice Springs Airport, while the Top End remains on track to be liberated on Friday.
Authorities were only alerted to the Alice Springs exposure after four family members of the man, who travelled from the Tanami Desert gold mine, tested positive for Covid-19 in South Australia on Wednesday.
The miner, who initially tested negative for the virus, has since been retested and confirmed as a positive case.
He transited through the Alice Springs Airport between 9.20am and 3.50pm on Friday, June 25. Anyone in the terminal’s cafe between those times has been deemed a close contact and will need to go into 14 days self quarantine and get tested.
People in the departure and arrivals lounge of the Alice Springs Airport in that period have also been classified as casual contacts and will need to isolate until they receive a negative Covid-19 result.
It’s understood he has the highly contagious Delta strain of coronavirus, which has been known to transmit from person to person after only fleeting contact.
Concerns over the variant’s infectiousness and Alice Springs’ vulnerable population prompted Northern Territory authorities to declare a snap lockdown in the Central Australian town from 1pm on Wednesday.
There were no new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 reported in the Northern Territory on Wednesday.
NT chief health officer Hugh Heggie said contact tracers were scouring over hours of CCTV footage from the airport to figure out the most at-risk areas and people.
“This does pose a risk to the community of Alice Springs,” Dr Heggie said.
“The best thing you can do is stay where you are, stay at home or if you are from out of Alice Springs, find someone else you can stay with.”
Masks also became mandatory in Alice Springs as part of the lockdown, with residents also rushing to the shops despite pleas not to panic buy.
Shoppers began packing into the Alice Springs Woolworths within minutes of the announcement, with essential items such as bread and toilet paper stripped from shelves before 12.30pm.
People were lining up at pharmacies to buy masks, which are being sold in a pack of 10 for $10, with a one-pack limit per person.
Streets were lined with cars looking for a park or leaving work in the CBD and businesses, including in the Todd Mall, closed early.
Dr Heggie said there were now about 12 million Australians living in lockdown nationwide.
However, Chief Minister Michael Gunner flagged the Top End’s lockdown was still on track to end at 1pm Friday.
“Early indications (on Wednesday) were positive,” Mr Gunner said.
“We still want to see some results back but having no new exposure sites puts us on a very good footing for 1pm on Friday.”
“(Thursday’s) wastewater result will be even more informative but so far the results are on track for where we would like to be for a 1pm lifting.”
Mr Gunner urged Darwin, Palmerston and Litchfield to continue taking lockdown and mask requirements seriously.
So far, none of the close contacts to an infected patron at the Buff Club in Stuart Park have tested positive.
Contact tracers were still trying to locate eight of the 179 close contacts at the venue between 3.30pm and 8pm last Friday.
PALMERSTON EXPOSURE SITES
CLOSE CONTACT SITES (HIGH RISK)
A Zumba class at a pop-up tent at the Palmerston Recreation Centre between 9am and 9.30am on Saturday, June 26.
About 25 people, including the instructor, were identified and are required to self-isolate immediately and get tested for Covid-19. People must stay in isolation for a full 14 days.
CASUAL CONTACT SITES (MEDIUM RISK)
The Palmerston flea market on Saturday, June 26 between 7.45am and 8.45am, and 9.30am and 9.45am.
A public toilet in the area has also been identified, but times are yet to be released.
Female public toilet at 1 Chung Wah Terrace between 9.40am to 9am on Saturday, June 26.
Anyone who visited the venue at these times is required to self-isolate and get tested, and stay in isolation until they return a negative test.
A number of stores within Gateway Shopping Centre have been identified as casual contact sites. Anyone who attended the following between 11am and 2pm on Saturday, June 26 is required to self-isolate and get tested until a negative result is returned:
Rockmans’s clothing store
Big W (pet section)
Hoskings Jewellers
Woolworths
Pharmacy 4 Less Gateway
Gateway Shopping Centre Underground Carpark
LOW RISK SITES
Gateway Shopping Centre between 11am and 2pm on Saturday, June 26. Anyone who attended at this time is urged to monitor their health and isolate if they develop symptoms.
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