NT reports new COVID-19 case from Melbourne lockdown area

A new case of COVID-19 has emerged in Darwin today, originating from a returning traveller who spent time in a Melbourne hotspot.

According to NT Minister for Health Natasha Fyles (pictured) the 30-year-old man arrived in Darwin on Monday and tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday.

The man is a return traveller from overseas who completed the mandatory two-week period of quarantine in a Melbourne hotel.

After the quarantine period, and while waiting for his flight to Darwin, the man spent "a couple of days" with family in one of the hotspot locations in Melbourne.

On return to Darwin the man, who is believed to live alone, went immediately back to his house, after which he began to experience mild symptoms of the coronavirus.

"This individual has followed all the precautions and we wish them all the best. They're now in the care of Royal Darwin Hospital in isolation," says Fyles.

"I want to reassure the community there has been minimal contact with the broader community."

Fyles says while 6 April was the last time the territory reported a locally acquired case of COVID-19, today's news serves as a reminder that the pandemic is not over.

"After a significant period of time where we have not had any locally diagnosed cases this is obviously important to Territorians, but we have measures in place to protect our community, and these measures have been followed," says Fyles.

"We still mustn't become complacent around coronavirus. There is no cure. There is no vaccine.

"This is not a case of community transmission; it is a return traveller who has come out of one of those hotspots in Melbourne and returned to Darwin."

The news comes as Victoria reports 77 new cases of COVID-19 overnight, bringing the total number of active cases in the state to 415.

20 COVID-19 patients in Victoria are hospitalised, with four in ICU.

Around 300,000 Melburnians in metropolitan hotspots went into lockdown as of midnight last night until 29 July after cases of COVID-19 spiked in Victoria.

These measures were taken following comprehensive genomic sequencing received by Premier Daniel Andrews showing much of the recent spike in COVID-19 cases could be traced back to breaches of protocol in hotel quarantine.

Yesterday, New South Wales announced travellers that manage to leave the lockdown areas in Melbourne and make their way north across the border could face jail time of an $11,000 fine.

Updated at 10:42am AEST on 2 July 2020.