Chief Health Officer closely monitoring cases in greater Brisbane but no plans to declare hotspot yet

THERE are no plans yet to declare greater Brisbane a hot spot

• What we know about every coronavirus case the NT has had

QUEENSLANDERS from greater Brisbane are still free to travel into the NT without quarantining, as health officials confirm it is not declaring the city a hot spot “at this stage”.

Concerns are growing in Queensland after nine new cases were announced in the state on Saturday stemming from the case of a staff member at Brisbane Youth Detention Centre.

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Two more cases, including a baby, were recorded on Sunday.

One new case was recorded in Queensland on Monday.

New restrictions have been imposed in the state, with gatherings in homes reduced to 10 people for residents in Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, Scenic Rim, Moreton Bay and Redlands local government areas, and to 30 people for outdoor gatherings.

But an NT Health Department spokeswoman said Chief Health Officer Dr Hugh Heggie was not “at this stage” reactivating Brisbane’s hotspot declaration.

“The CHO continues to review the COVID-19 situation unfolding in Queensland and based on the location of the cluster and no detection of the cluster spreading into the broader community is not at this stage declaring Brisbane a hotspot,” she said.

Queensland’s Deputy Premier and Health Minister Steven Miles said he was worried about the weekend’s developments.

“It’s the largest number of community acquired cases we’ve had in months. We hope we’re able to get on top of it like we have other recent outbreaks, but we won’t know for a couple of weeks,” he said.

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The NT was quick to declare greater Brisbane, Ipswich and Logan hot spots after the coronavirus health scare sparked by a trio of women who had been in the community while infectious, though the restrictions were taken down in a week.

At this point in time, any traveller from Queensland who hasn’t been to a NSW hot spot or Victoria in the last 14 days can enter the NT without going into quarantine.