Gunner ‘fairly confident’ lockdown will end on time after more negative tests

Authorities are fairly confident the Top End’s lockdown could end on Thursday with thousands of negative tests being returned overnight.

UPDATE: CHIEF Minister Michael Gunner is fairly confident the Top End’s snap lockdown will end on Thursday noon after no new cases of Covid-19 were recorded overnight, with most tests from close contacts coming back negative.

Mr Gunner said he was “confident but not completely certain” the lockdown would end on Thursday, after 65 out of 81 close contacts in the Northern Territory tested negative for the virus.

There were 2128 Covid-19 tests conducted on Tuesday, all negative.

In total there are 93 close contacts as a result of the Katherine index case. Twelve close contacts are interstate and one person is on a ship in international waters, with crew enacting a Covid plan.

A total 504 casual contacts were identified, 411 in Katherine. Thus far 280 people have been tested with a handful returning negative.

Wastewater results for Darwin will be received on Wednesday night, while the results for Katherine are expected on Thursday morning.

Mr Gunner said authorities were working on plans for restrictions if lockdown ends on Thursday, with masks likely a requirement for another week.

“We are confident we have trapped the risk and our contact tracing efforts a success,” Mr Gunner.

Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie said a shadow from the throat swab of the index case indicated he had the Delta Covid strain.

EARLIER: CHIEF Minister Michael Gunner will update the Northern Territory at around 1pm today, after earlier posting via his Facebook that there were no new cases overnight.

It comes after Greater Darwin and Katherine areas were plunged into lockdown on Monday, after a Covid-positive man flew to the NT.

More to come.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner broke the news. Picture: Che Chorley

EARLIER: THE Northern Territory has recorded no new cases of Covid-19 overnight.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner revealed the news via social media on Wednesday morning.

Mr Gunner said he would update the public later in the day via a press conference, with more results from close and casual contacts expected to come in.

The NT is scheduled to come out of lockdown on Thursday at 12.01pm, however authorities have indicated they may extend it if further spread is detected.

Genomic testing is expected to be returned on Wednesday which will show where the virus was picked up from.

The man, who travelled from the US, quarantined in Sydney for two weeks before flying to the Territory via Canberra on August 12.

Chief health officer Dr Hugh Heggie said it was very unlikely he picked up the virus in the US.

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