NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles said the state’s new case of COVID-19 is not a reason to close borders.
The new case of coronavirus is a returned traveller who undertook hotel quarantine and a family visit in one of Melbourne’s identified hot spots.
Ms Fyles said the state must continue to work toward returning life to normal, even in the face of potential outbreaks.
“In going forward, we don’t have a cure or vaccine, we need to step forward to the new normal,” Ms Fyles said.
“Right now, we’re seeing an outbreak in Victoria in very specific local government areas in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, but going forward, this could change.”
Ms Fyles said the NT would go ahead with plans to relax restrictions and reopen the state.
“We need to be practical, we need to listen to that clinical advice, and so going forward for the Northern Territory, on July 17, the quarantine will change to those local government areas,” she said.
“But, of course, we will make sure that in stepping forward to the new normal, we listen to the clinical advice from our experts.”
