The Northern Territory Government has declared the Eurobodalla Shire in New South Wales a hotspot for the purposes of travel to the Northern Territory.
The announcement follows an outbreak of eight confirmed coronavirus cases now linked to the Soldiers Club in Batemans Bay on the NSW South Coast.
Victoria, Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Eurobodalla Shire have now been declared hotspots by the Northern Territory Government.
The Northern Territory reopened its borders last Friday, but all arrivals from declared coronavirus hotspots must enter two weeks of mandatory supervised quarantine at the Howard Springs quarantine facility at a cost of $2,500.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the measures would come into effect immediately and included anyone travelling to the Northern Territory from the Eurobodalla Shire, or anyone who entered the shire in the past fortnight.
"No more two-day warning. When we need to declare a hotspot, it will happen straight away," Mr Gunner said.
"Following a cluster of cases in Batemans Bay on the NSW South Coast, [NT Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie] has determined the area to be a geographical area of risk.
"I have been up front with people that the situation can be changed quickly [and that] hotspots can be added without notice. You are seeing that today."
Mr Gunner said he was "watching the ACT closely" to see if any outbreaks occur in the nation's capital.
"I also want to give fair warning to residents in Canberra, given the proximity to Batemans Bay and the regular travel that occurs there," Mr Gunner said.
Mr Gunner said 143 arrivals from hotspot areas had now entered mandatory supervised quarantine in the Northern Territory.
"We have had just over 5,000 people enter the Territory over the past three days. The overwhelming majority of these are by our roads," Mr Gunner said.
"So far, just 143 people are from, or have been in, a hotspot area, and most of these people have been put into supervised quarantine in Howard Springs."
