Canberrans who attended coronavirus exposure sites in NSW must quarantine, as the territory remains wary of the virus threat.
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ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith announced the updated advice on Wednesday, after a man from Melbourne who later tested positive for coronavirus visited several locations while on holidays with his family in NSW last week.
Ms Stephen-Smith said anyone in the ACT who had attended exposure sites at Goulburn, Hyams Beach, Vincentia and Jervis Bay, at the specified dates and times, must quarantine for 14 days from the time they attended, regardless of a negative test result.
They must also complete an online declaration form, which will be available on the ACT COVID-19 website on Wednesday evening, and get tested.
Non-ACT residents who visited an exposure site at the dates and times identified by NSW Health cannot enter the territory without exemption.
In a statement, ACT Health advised Canberrans not currently in the territory to follow the advice of the state they were in.
ACT residents who attended one of the exposure sites at the specified times and is still in NSW will be required to seek an exemption from the state government to leave quarantine.
ACT Health said those residents returning to Canberra should also apply for an exemption from the ACT to return home.
"So that we can assist you with your safe return to the ACT. Quarantine requirements will apply," ACT Health said in a statement.
There are currently eight Canberrans in quarantine as a result of the updated requirements.
Ms Stephen-Smith said there had also been a big increase in people getting tests.
"We are seeing waits of about one hour to 90 minutes across our sites. We have staffed up the testing sites but please remember you can also make an appointment to get tested at a respiratory assessment clinic," she said.
NSW Health said there were no new locally-acquired cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday from 21,551 tests.
In the past 24 hours, 839 negative tests were returned in the ACT.
Victoria's seven-day "circuit breaker" lockdown has been extended for another week, while restrictions will be eased across regional Victoria.
Ms Stephen-Smith said ACT Health was still working through what that meant for Canberrans returned from Victoria.
"ACT Health is considering the announcement the Victorian government has made today," she said.
"We'll work through that and we'll be able to provide some further advice to people who are currently subject to stay at home directions tomorrow morning."
Stay at home requirements were imposed on anyone entering the ACT from Victoria from the beginning of the state's lockdown on May 28.
There are currently seven close contacts from Melbourne in quarantine and 15 casual contacts have been identified.
Non-ACT residents entering from Victoria are also currently banned from entering the territory without an exemption.
The Health Minister said the renewed threat of COVID-19 was an important reminder for Canberrans not to be complacent.
"I would certainly be encouraging everybody in the ACT to be very vigilant about maintaining the Covid-safe behaviours we've come to know," she said.
"This is a really important reminder to people why it is so importnat that when you're eligible for a vaccination, you go and get vaccinated."
As the Queen's Birthday long weekend approached on June 12, Ms Stephen-Smith said Canberrans shouldn't cancel plans yet, but should remain vigilant.
"It's too early to say how this is likely to unfold until we start getting tests back from those people who've been identified as close and casual contacts," she said.
"People need to be really aware of what is going on in the jurisdictions that they're planning to visit, really be conscious that the situation can change at short notice."
Extra testing clinics were set up after Victorian health officials notified NSW Health the person visited Jervis Bay, Goulburn, Hyams Beach and Vincentia on May 23 and 24.
The man visited Trapper's Bakery and Shell Coles Express Big Merino in Goulburn on the way home on May 24.
Owners of Trapper's Bakery made the decision to close for deep cleaning on Wednesday. Coles Express closed at 9:30pm on Tuesday for a deep clean and re-opened at 2am after it was completed.
"Anyone who lives in Jervis Bay, or has visited Jervis Bay since May 22, is asked to be especially vigilant for the onset of even the mildest of cold-like symptoms, and is urged to come forward immediately if they appear, then isolate until a negative result is received," NSW Health said in a statement.
"Additionally, anyone who has recently had symptoms should also get tested."
The positive case was tested on Tuesday after experiencing the onset of symptoms last Tuesday. This was the day after they drove back to Melbourne last Monday, before Victoria's stay-at-home measures took effect on Thursday.
The NSW exposure sites are:
- Shell Coles Express Big Merino, Goulburn - 10.00 to 11.30am, Monday, May 24
- Trapper's Bakery, Sowerby Street, Goulburn - 10.30am to 11.30am, Monday, May 24
- Crooked Goose Cafe (formerly Hyams Beach Cafe), 76 Cyrus Street, Hyams Beach - 10.00am to 12pm, Sunday, May 23
- Green Patch campground, Booderee National Park, Village Bay Road, Jervis Bay - all day Sunday, May 23 and to 9am, Monday, May 24
- Coles Vincentia Shopping Village, 21 The Wool Road, Vincentia - 12pm to 1pm, Sunday, May 23
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