NT declares three new Victorian suburbs as hot spots, removes status of 10 other Melbourne suburbs

The NT government has declared three new Melbourne suburbs as hot spots effective immediately

THE NT government has declared three new Melbourne suburbs as hot spots effective immediately.

The new hot spot suburbs are Maidstone, Sunshine, and Taylors Lakes.

The NT’s chief health officer has also revoked the hot spots status of 10 Melbourne suburbs, just four days after declaring them.

Anyone who arrives in the NT after 3.30pm on Monday and has been in Maidstone, Sunshine or Taylors Lakes will be required to enter mandatory supervised quarantine.

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NT declares three new Melbourne suburbs as hot spots. Picture Katrina Bridgeford.

Anyone who has arrived in the Territory since February 5 and has been in the three new hot spot suburbs must self-isolate until they return a negative COVID-19 test.

A flight from Melbourne is due to land in Darwin at 4.20pm ACST.

It comes after a second hotel quarantine worker tested positive for coronavirus in Victoria, sparking a late-night emergency response from the state’s health team.

The female authorised officer was working at the Holiday Inn at Melbourne Airport and tested positive for COVID-19 late on Sunday.

“I have made the decision to declare these further three Melbourne suburbs as COVID-19 hot spots following another community case linked to hotel quarantine,” NT chief health officer Dr Hugh Heggie said.

“Similarly to last week, Victorian authorities have acted quickly and have maintained their public health controls to limit the spread of COVID-19.

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“These measures include significant contact tracing, increased testing, mandatory mask wearing inside and outside, limiting numbers at gatherings and delaying return to work measures.

“Today I was also able to revoke the 10 suburbs declared as hot spots on 4 February 2021. Victoria has undertaken extensive community testing as well as testing the close contacts and casual contacts of the gentleman who tested positive with no further cases identified.”