Two people from Darwin CBD hotel test positive to COVID-19
TWO people from the international Defence cohort, quarantining in a Darwin CBD hotel after arriving from overseas, have tested positive for COVID-19
Northern Territory
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TWO people from the international Defence cohort quarantining in a Darwin hotel after arriving from overseas have tested positive for COVID-19.
The 19-year-old man and 30-year-old woman arrived on Monday and are now both in the Royal Darwin Hospital.
Last week the NT News reported Defence personnel from “multiple countries around the world” were in quarantine at the Darwin Travelodge on Cavenagh St, rather than in the NT Centre for National Resilience in Howard Springs.
ABC Radio Darwin this morning reported it had asked to talk to the Northern Territory’s Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie about the cases and about COVID protocols at the CBD hotel.
However, it reported that they were told that Dr Heggie had given a press conference on Monday, and was unavailable today.
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The NT News understands that all known close contacts of the two cases have now been transferred from the Travelodge to the Howard Springs Quarantine Facility, where they remain in isolation under the care of NT Health.
A Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet press release said the hotel for the international defence personnel and their families had been approved by Chief Health Officer and was outlined in the Foreign Military NT Quarantine COVID-19 Safety Management Plan.
“This includes strict infection control measures and appropriate risk controls regarding mandatory PPE requirements, daily health checks and COVID-19 testing,” it said.
“There has been no breaches of the COVID-19 Safety Management Plan.”
Only members of the Defence cohort, and their families, are staying at the Travelodge.
It’s not known which countries the personnel are coming from.
In addition to the positive Defence cases, a 59-year-old woman who arrived on a repatriation flight from India on January 8 also tested positive on Wednesday.
She remains at the Howard Springs Quarantine Facility under the care of the AUSMAT team.
Since repatriation flights began on October 23 last year, 2497 international arrivals have undertaken quarantine in Howard Springs and 57 positive COVID-19 cases have been reported.
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Since the coronavirus pandemic began, there have been 94 positive cases in the NT.
All have been related to international or interstate travel, with no cases of community transmission.
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