Cattle Ship Crewman in Northern Territory Has COVID-19

Cattle Ship Crewman in Northern Territory Has COVID-19
A view of Howard Springs Quarantine Facility as eight repatriation flights have been arranged to help Australians stuck overseas, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and border closures, return home in Darwin, Australia on Oct. 22, 2020. (Lisa McTiernan/Getty Images)
AAP
By AAP
12/28/2020
Updated:
12/28/2020

Northern Territory authorities say a cattle ship crewman who arrived in Australia from Indonesia has tested positive for COVID-19.

The 25-year-old crew member on the Diamantina cattle export vessel arrived in Darwin from Indonesia.

The man was tested onboard when the ship arrived at the East Arm wharf on Sunday night.

He has since been admitted to the Royal Darwin Hospital, where he is in isolation.

The majority of other crew members have been transported to a separate section of the Howard Springs quarantine facility, where they will complete 14 days of mandatory supervised isolation.

Some crew members are required to remain onboard the Diamantina to comply with international maritime law.

Testing will be undertaken and they are required to stay on board in self-isolation.

The man’s case takes the total number of coronavirus infections diagnosed in the Northern Territory is 75.

All have been related to international or interstate travel, with no cases of community transmission.

A woman wearing antlers looks at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia on Dec. 25, 2020. (Jenny Evans/Getty Images)
A woman wearing antlers looks at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia on Dec. 25, 2020. (Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

This comes as Australia’s Immigration Minister Alex Hawke threatened to deport some attendees of a large Christmas Day party at Bronte Beach in Sydney.

The party happened while the Northern Beaches area is locked down due to an outbreak of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus (novel coronavirus).
Hawke told Sydney’s 2GB Radio on Tuesday that he was “shocked at the scenes” of the crowd at Bronte Beach.

Some of the partygoers are believed to be backpackers who remained in Australia during the pandemic or expatriates mostly from the UK.

“Under the Migration Act, if someone is threatening public safety or health their visa can be cancelled and revoked,” Hawke said. “The federal government is looking at that issue.”

The minister added that he had instructed the Department of Home Affairs to work with New South Wales state authorities in the lead up to New Year’s Eve “to make sure everyone is doing the right thing.”

Caden Pearson contributed to this article.