Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
NT detects 10 new COVID-19 cases
The Northern Territory has recorded 10 new COVID-19 cases as infections linked to travellers arriving in the territory outnumber community cases.
December 24, 2021
The Northern Territory has detected 10 new COVID-19 cases as infected travellers continue to arrive in the territory.
One of the cases is linked to the current community outbreak, bringing the cluster to 132 infections.
That person was a close contact from a previous case found in the Tennant Creek area, about 5ookm north of Alice Springs, and quarantined.
The other nine are recent arrivals in the NT.
One was a traveller from overseas and the other nine arrived from interstate.
All are in isolation at home or quarantined, in hospital or at The Centre for National Resilience in Howard Springs, south of Darwin.
There are currently 10 people with COVID-19 in NT hospitals, including one in intensive care.
Five interstate arrivals from NSW, Victoria and South Australia tested positive in the NT on Thursday, up from two on Wednesday and one a day earlier.
The community outbreak started when an infected woman illegally entered the territory in late October.
The 21-year-old was fined for lying on her border entry form as the virus spread from Darwin to Katherine, 320km south of the territory capital, and multiple Aboriginal communities.
Police have since launched a fresh investigation into the border breach after an Aboriginal woman died from COVID-19 in early December.
The NT government has been contacted for further details.