The Northern Territory chief minister remains in COVID-19 self-isolation with cold-like symptoms after meeting family members visiting from Queensland.

March 30, 2021

Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner remains in COVID-19 self-isolation after coming into contact with family members visiting from Queensland and developing cold-like symptoms.

Mr Gunner’s family arrived in Darwin from Toowoomba on Friday, a week after a man infected with the UK strain of the virus started moving about the state’s southeast.

“He’s at home isolating waiting for his COVID test results to come back,” NT Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison told reporters on Tuesday.

“The advice from the chief health officer is that the risk is very low.”

The NT declared Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, the Toowoomba region, the Moreton Bay region and Redland hotspots from 4.30pm on Monday.

Another eight coronavirus cases emerged overnight in Greater Brisbane, which was locked down for three days at 5pm on Monday to slow infection rates.

One known case lives on the Gold Coast and others have visited Toowoomba, Gladstone, Hervey Bay and Gin Gin while infectious.

Mr Gunner went into self-isolation late on Monday after calling into an NT’s COVID-19 state emergency management committee meeting from another office at NT parliament house.

“Some family members arrived and he’s got some minor cold-type symptoms and he’s doing the right thing and taking extra precaution here,” Ms Manison told reporters on Monday afternoon.

Ms Manison said Mr Gunner’s family members were also self-isolating and would be tested for the virus.

“Clearly there’s a risk. I think the risk is really small but the fact the chief has some symptoms it’s very appropriate to go and get a test,” NT Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie said.

Ms Manison said she did not know when the chief minister’s COVID-19 test results would be made public.