Coronavirus NT: Tears of joy as people released from quarantine on Christmas Eve

TEARS of joy were shed as more than 100 people were released from quarantine and allowed to reunite with their loved ones on Christmas Eve

• NT revokes of Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains and Central Coast coronavirus hotspot status
• Health authorities testing close contacts on Darwin-Sydney flight after positive case

TEARS of joy were shed as more than 100 people were released from quarantine facilities across the NT and allowed to reunite with their loved ones on Christmas Eve.

Ninety-four people in quarantine at Howard Springs and 21 in Alice Springs were released after the NT revoked a large majority of Greater Sydney’s declared hot spots on Thursday evening.

Travellers from Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Central Coast are no longer required to undergo 14-day mandatory quarantine.

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Stephanie Otto was brought to tears when she and her four-year-old son Tristan were finally able to leave quarantine, just in time to spend Christmas Day with their family.

“The thought of spending Christmas isolated in quarantine was daunting, especially when Tristan was upset and kept asking me why we couldn’t leave to see his dad,” she said.

“I think almost everyone quarantine here was over the moon when the news broke. The last few days have been unexpected and very stressful.”

Acting Chief Minister Nicole Manison said the decision to reduce the size of NSW’s hot spot was made because some areas were no longer a risk.

Stephanie Otto and her four-year-old son Tristan were relieved to get out of Howard Springs quarantine so they could spend Christmas with their family in Darwin.

“It hasn’t been removed just so they can get out to for Christmas; I’ve got to be really clear there, it’s been about assessing the risk,” she said.

Minister Manison said the hot spot changes also meant that anyone in the community who has been asked to self isolate after being in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Central Coast since December 11 will no longer be required to.

There have been almost 2000 tests done across the NT since the NSW hot spot declaration was made on Sunday.

“Those people will be free to go about their business as long as they are not from the declared hotspot,” Minister Manison said.

“I do want to say though big thank you to everybody, we have seen really large numbers of people go out and get tested.

“Our staff have been working around the clock to get those tests processed as quickly as possible.”

Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie has also provided an update on the male Qantas flight attendant that tested positive for COVID after recently flying through Darwin.

The man arrived in Darwin on repatriation flight from Paris last Thursday and flew to Sydney the next day.

“Although the person had come from a flight from Paris, and there was always the possibility of exposure from that but looking at the current evidence, it may be that it was because he travelled with colleagues that came from the suburbs around Avalon,” Dr Heggie said.

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Travellers who have been to the Northern Beaches area will still have to stay put in quarantine facilities across the NT.

This includes the hot spot areas of: Avalon Beach, Bayview, Bilgola Beach, Bilgola Plateau, Church Point, Clareville, Coasters Retreat, Currawong Beach, Elanora Heights, Elvina Bay, Great Mackerel Beach, Ingleside, Ku-ring-gai Chase, Lovett Bay, Mccarrs Creek, Mona Vale, Morning Bay, Newport, Newport Beach, North Narrabeen, Palm Beach, Scotland Island, Warriewood and Whale Beach.

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