Melbourne coronavirus spread to Northern Territory first case for three months from traveller

Melbourne’s coronavirus tentacles spread across the border: Northern Territory records first case for three months due to returned traveller from Victoria

  • The Northern Territory has recorded its first coronavirus case since April 6 
  • A Darwin local in their 30s returned from abroad and quarantined in Melbourne 
  • They then spent a few days with their family in a Melbourne COVID-19 hotspot 
  • The person felt unwell when they returned to Darwin and later tested positive

The Northern Territory has recorded its first coronavirus case in three months after a returned traveller from Victoria brought the disease over the border. 

A Darwin man in his 30s was quarantined for two weeks in a Melbourne hotel before staying with family in one of the city’s virus hotspots for a few days. 

Upon returning to Darwin on Monday, the man began to feel unwell and tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday night. 

It had been almost three months since the last confirmed case of COVID-19 in the Northern Territory was recorded on April 6. 

NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles revealed the man flew to the Top End via Brisbane during a press conference on Thursday. 

NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles (pictured) revealed there was a new case in the Top End during a press conference on Thursday

‘We have a traveller, a Darwin person in their 30s who returned from overseas. They undertook quarantine in Melbourne,’ Ms Fyles said. 

‘They then did have a couple of days and they were staying with family in one of the hotspot locations in Melbourne, I understand, before they were able to get a flight – Melbourne-Brisbane, Brisbane-Darwin. 

‘They arrived in Darwin on Monday starting to feel unwell and were tested and those results came through last night.

‘They’re now in the care of Royal Darwin Hospital in isolation and I want to reassure the community – there has been minimal contact with the broader community.’ 

NT Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie said ‘there’s no risk to the community’ with the new case since the man is isolated in hospital. 

‘The person is well, mild disease, in the hospital and the contacts are being currently tracked and traced as per a normal public health response,’ Mr Heggie said. 

‘It’s true that he did come from an area in Melbourne that is defined as a “hotspot” and we actually have vigilance with this and monitoring people that come back and I’ve got to say, he did all of the right things.’

The man boarded Qantas Flight 836 from Brisbane to Darwin on Monday. Ms Fyles said contact tracing will be undertaken for all other passengers aboard the flight (file image)

The man boarded Qantas Flight 836 from Brisbane to Darwin on Monday. Ms Fyles said contact tracing will be undertaken for all other passengers aboard the flight (file image)

A man gets tested for COVID-19. The Darwin COVID-19 patient felt unwell on Monday and got tested, getting back a positive result on Wednesday night

A man gets tested for COVID-19. The Darwin COVID-19 patient felt unwell on Monday and got tested, getting back a positive result on Wednesday night

The man had boarded Qantas Flight QF836 from Melbourne to Darwin via Brisbane on Monday and contact tracing will be undertaken for all other passengers aboard. 

Ms Fyles said Territorians ‘mustn’t become complacent around coronavirus’. 

‘Even though it has been since 6 April we had our last diagnosed case locally here in the Territory, I can understand that people will be anxious hearing this news,’ she said.    

‘There is no cure, there is no vaccine. In terms of the Northern Territory – Territorians have worked hard and we need to continue to do that.’

Darwin’s one active case of COVID-19 is the Territory’s 30th case of disease – the smallest total for any state or territory. 

The latest case comes after 73 new cases sprouted up in Victoria and 14 more arose in NSW on Wednesday. Another eight popped up in NSW on Thursday. 

This means there are now 386 active cases of coronavirus in all of Australia. 

A drive-through COVID-19 test centre in Melbourne. The city has locked down 36 of its suburbs and residents of those areas are now banned from entering NSW

A drive-through COVID-19 test centre in Melbourne. The city has locked down 36 of its suburbs and residents of those areas are now banned from entering NSW

Three women walk through Sydney while wearing face masks. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned New South Wales residents that a second wave of coronavirus could hit the state

Three women walk through Sydney while wearing face masks. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned New South Wales residents that a second wave of coronavirus could hit the state

As numbers rise Victoria, Melbourne has locked down 36 of its suburbs to curb the spread of the disease. 

New South Wales has banned people from the 36 Melbourne suburbs while keeping an open border to other Victorians. 

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said anyone from those areas caught in NSW could face six months in jail and an $11,000 fine from 11.59pm on Wednesday. 

Meanwhile, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned New South Wales residents that a second wave of coronavirus could hit the state at any time. 

‘There is no doubt in my mind that during the course of the pandemic, we will get a spike,’ she said on Sunrise on Thursday. 

‘It is about how you deal with it.’ 

Australia's current COVID-19 situation

Australia’s current COVID-19 situation 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk