NT declares entire state of Victoria a Covid-19 hot spot from noon of June 3

The NT has declared the entire state of Victoria a Covid-19 hot spot following an increase in cases.

THE Territory has declared the entire state of Victoria a Covid-19 hot spot following an increase in cases.

The declaration is effective from noon, June 3, after which anyone travelling to the Northern Territory from Victoria must undertake 14 days of mandatory, supervised quarantine at the Alice Springs or Howard Springs quarantine facilities.

“While Victoria is implementing strong control measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, including extending the lockdown across Greater Melbourne and conducting extensive testing, there is a potential for COVID-19 to continue to spread across Victoria as more public exposure sites are identified,” said acting chief health officer Charles Pain.

“We need to be extra cautious at this time, particularly in response to the increased travel across Australia and the many thousands of visitors expected to come to the Territory this month. This outbreak highlights the need for Territorians and all Australians, to get the COVID-19 vaccine because until we do we are at risk of a devastating outbreak in the Territory.”

Anyone in the Northern Territory who has visited a Tier 1 Exposure Site in Victoria and is undertaking quarantine must remain in quarantine (unless to get tested) until noon of the 14th day after they were at the exposure site, regardless of returning a negative COVID-19 test or not. Should the Tier 1 site be downgraded to Tier 2 or Tier 3 site, impacted people may leave quarantine at this time as long as they are not awaiting a COVID-19 test result.

Anyone who arrived in the Northern Territory from Victoria between May 12 and 12am on May 27 must check the Victorian Department of Health website at least once per day because the list of public exposure sites is continually expanding. Arrivals must ensure they are complying with NT quarantine and testing directions if a place they have been to becomes a public exposure site.

Anyone who is symptomatic, regardless whether or not they have been in a declared COVID-19 hotspot, must isolate, seek a test, and remain in self-quarantine until a negative test is returned.

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