National coronavirus cases see Tasmanian border closure, isolation

On Sunday, Cabinet minister Guy Barnett revealed about 5000 travellers into Tasmania from NSW had been told to self-isolate after public health director Dr Mark Veitch declared any Tasmanians who had returned from NSW hotspots since June 21 needed to isolate.

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NSW recorded 30 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases on Sunday and had 109 cases in the state across the week.

However, Mr Barnett quashed questions about whether the state government had waited too long to close the state's borders to NSW saying they had been consistently informed by public health advice.

Shortly thereafter, Dr Veitch announced the Tasmanian border would be shut to the Northern Territory as it recorded four cases of community transmission stemming from a hotspot at a Central Australian mine.

Dr Veitch said three workers from the mine were identified in Tasmania and had been placed into isolation and were awaiting testing.

Northern Territory local government areas Darwin, Palmerston and Litchfield were classified as high-risk meaning non-essential travellers from those areas would not be permitted entry into Tasmania.

While the areas in the Northern Territory had been declared as high-risk, Dr Veitch said travellers in Tasmania from those areas did not need to isolate immediately.

"Anyone who has recently been in any of these LGAs is not currently required to quarantine, however, they must monitor themselves for any symptoms," he said.

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"Returning Tasmanians will also need to apply to re-enter the State and will be required to quarantine for 14 days at a suitable premises."

Meanwhile, four areas in NSW continued to be locked down to Tasmania while high-risk areas in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia remained of concern.

More information on the high-risk areas is available on the Tasmanian government's coronavirus website.

Earlier on Sunday Tasmanian concern flared as the North Melbourne AFL team was told isolate after it was revealed they were at Melbourne Airport at the same time as a COVID-positive airline crew member before flying to Hobart for Saturday's match against the Gold Coast Suns.

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Premier Peter Gutwein said the risk of COVID-19 transmission in Tasmania as a result had been assessed as "extremely low".

"Public health has advised this morning that no one who attended the ground needs to isolate, or be tested," he said.

The North-West was left impacted by the COVID-19 flare up when late on Saturday passengers on board a REX flight from Melbourne to Burnie last Sunday were told to isolate after a positive case passed through Tullamarine airport.

The infected person moved through Terminal 4 of the airport, prompting the Tasmanian Health Department to contact local passengers in the terminal at the relevant times to isolate immediately and get a COVID-19 test.

They did not travel to Tasmania.

Across the country NSW embarked on a two-week quarantine and the Northern Territory felt the full effect of the pandemic for the first time as residents were thrust into a two-day snap lockdown.

Western Australia was also about to enter a three day lockdown until a negative test allayed fears about the potential for the virus to spread across the state.

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