Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Five new COVID cases in NT quarantine camp
Five returned overseas travellers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 while quarantining in the Northern Territory’s Howard Springs camp.
November 13, 2020
Five recently returned overseas travellers have tested positive for COVID-19 while quarantining in the Northern Territory
All returned to Australia on Commonwealth repatriation flights, NT Health said on Friday.
The travellers are isolating at Darwin’s Howard Springs facility under the care of medical staff.
It comes a day after a 32-year-old woman at the disused mining camp tested positive for the virus after returning from London.
NT Health has previously said returned overseas travellers were a high-risk group, and five to 10 per cent were likely to test positive for the virus.
Over 800 people have undertaken quarantine at Howard Springs since the repatriation flights to the NT started on October 23.
There have been 13 positive cases reported amongst them, with the total number of virus infections diagnosed in the NT at 47.
Earlier, the NT reopened its borders to Victoria’s Mitchell Shire.
This means anyone arriving in the Top End from the shire will no longer be forced to undertake mandatory supervised quarantine.
People currently in mandatory quarantine from the locality will be able to exit.
Mitchell Shire includes the towns of Broadford, Kilmore, Seymour, Tallarook, Pyalong and Wallan.
More than 30 councils in Greater Melbourne remain COVID-19 hotspots.