CHO keeping close eye on Sydney following COVID scare
The NT’s chief health officer is ‘closely watching Sydney’ after a quarantine worker returned a positive COVID-19 test on Saturday.
Northern Territory
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THE NT’s chief health officer is “closely watching Sydney” after a quarantine worker returned a positive COVID-19 test on Saturday.
The 47-year-old man — who received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine earlier this month — was infectious with COVID-19 during a 12-hour shift at a quarantine hotel, with authorities now scrambling to contact more than 100 of his colleagues.
NT CHO Hugh Heggie said anyone who visited high risk areas including the Bexley Aquatics Centre, Pancakes on the Rocks at Beverly Hills and the train between Hurstville and the city since Friday must now self-isolate and get tested.
Dr Heggie advised anyone now considering travelling between Sydney and the NT to rethink their plans.
“With the latest positive case in Sydney authorities are quite advanced in their contact tracing, having undertaken extensive testing on the gentleman’s colleagues with no additional cases reported at this time,” he said.
It comes after a similar directive was issued for Brisbane on Saturday after the Princess Alexandra Hospital went into lockdown when a doctor tested positive last week.
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“I continue to monitor the emerging situation in Brisbane, but also now Sydney as well,” Dr Heggie said.
“It is pleasing that COVID-19 outbreak in Brisbane remains contained to just one case, but we must remain vigilant.”
“We need a considered approach to incidences such as this, and based on current clinical evidence our response is proportionate at this time.”
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