The Northern Territory chief minister has tested negative for COVID-19 after developing cold-like symptoms.

March 31, 2021

Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner has returned a negative COVID-19 test 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.

“The chief minister did the right thing and after feeling unwell, he isolated and he’s returned a negative test,” NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles told reporters on Wednesday.

“I don’t think he stopped working thanks to modern technology.”

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

The NT chief health officer declared a further hotspot for the Byron Bay area in NSW from 4.30pm Tuesday.

Anyone travelling to the NT from hotspots since the declaration dates are required to enter into 14-days mandatory supervised quarantine.

Mr Gunner’s family arrived from Queensland before Monday’s deadline, but under NT law they were required to self-isolate and get a COVID-19 test within 72 hours, and remain in quarantine until a negative test result is returned.

Greater Brisbane remains in lockdown with two new virus cases reported on Wednesday, taking the total number of community infections to 17.

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.

It is not known whether Mr Gunner’s family has returned negative virus tests or if they have left self-isolation.