COVID-19: Darwin Lockdown

The NT Government has announced a lockdown for Darwin, Palmerston and Litchfield. Lockdown has begun as of 27/06/21 1:00pm. The lockdown is expected to last for 48 hours.

There are only 5 ways to leave your home.

  • For medical treatment including coronavirus testing and vaccinations
  • To get essential goods and services
  • For essential work
  • For one hour of outdoor exercise a day within 5km from your home with one other person or people from your house
  • To provide care and support to a family member or person who cannot support themselves

The order. Bunnings can remain open however general retail likes Kmarts must close.

A 5th case has also just been announced

1 Like

So they can’t even do click and collect?

Some of the decisions always make no sense. All food manufacturing facilities that supply supermarkets can operate

Why?

If the lockdown continues beyond 48 hours there may be a meat shortage.

The Greater Darwin area will be designated a red zone under Victoria’s travel permit system, effective 8:00pm AEST Sunday 27 June. Greater Darwin incorporates the Local Government Areas of City of Darwin, City of Palmerston and Litchfield

Because there’s a history in Australia and globally that abattoir’s / meatpacking plants are at very high risk for COVID transmission.

3 Likes

Not mentioned.

That same issue went on in Adelaide . I remember Bunnings etc had click and collect only ready to go then the State government said no, nobody in the stores everyone remain at home.

reasons

One new case in the NT, public exposure sites in the Territory for the first time

NEW EXPOSURE SITES IN DARWIN AREA -

- The Buff Club, Stuart Highway (Friday June 25 between 5:30pm to 8:00pm)

  • Darwin Airport (Friday June 25 between 1:30pm to 3:35pm)
  • BWS Parap (Friday June 25 between 4:00pm to 4:15pm)
  • Bunnings Warehouse Bagot Road (Saturday June 26 between 10:00am to 10:15am)

The NT Deputy Chief Health Officer has confirmed they are dealing with the Delta variant of COVID-19. Due to this, the lockdown has been officially extended till 1:00pm Friday July 2nd.

1 Like

And Territory Day celebrations scheduled for Thursday (July 1) have been postponed to a later date.

What are Darwin’s ICU’s like? Is there many available?

Royal Darwin Hospital is always at capacity with code yellows called often. Palmerston Hospital can take some patients but Howard Springs has suitable facilities for active cases anyway.

2 Likes

Funny we are nearly 18 months into a global pandemic and we still haven’t used that time to sort that out… Not many places around the world have had 18 months to prepare.

I’m pretty sure RDH has a separate ward available for COVID-19 and emergency disasters but the whole health system is constantly understaffed and at capacity.

The NT is really not prepared for outbreaks. There has been reports recently on COVID-positive patients leaving their beds and roaming around freely in the hospital without the staffs knowledge - including the emergency department :neutral_face:

I know its hard to get people to move to the NT to help staff those areas. But surely money talks. I just find it hard to believe we haven’t invested more heavily, around the whole of Australia, into our health care system in the last 18 months (especially in more remote areas). I can completely see why Darwin is locking down and eliminating when they don’t have the system to deal with it. But seriously they should have invested better in their health care system.

2 Likes

Nine’s coverage -

1 Like

NT today reported two new cases tested positive in Howard Springs - they are family members of a previous case, and were transferred into quarantine on Sunday.

Breakdown of the granite mine cluster so far (from News Corp)

Case 4 is incorrect - he returned to Glen Innes

0 cases in Northern Territory today. Great work.

However, Alice Springs has now entered a 72 hour snap lockdown due to the potential risk of a traveler who flew to Adelaide via Alice Springs Airport from the mine cluster.