The Northern Territory government has apologised to residents of Katherine who were sent into a snap Covid-19 lockdown last night.
After initially being told they couldn’t leave the “red zone” until they returned a negative, panicked locals in a small pocket of Katherine East were today assured they could, in fact, move about after getting tested.
Katherine resident Kanahi Djordan-King said he was shocked when police established roadblocks.
Katherine East local Kamahi Djordan-King was tested for Covid-19 this afternoon
"It was said that we had to have a clear test either side of 72 hours," he told NITV News.
"So in the last 72 hours if you’ve had a negative test you can move about, but if you haven’t you’ve got to stay locked down..."
But NT health minister Natasha Fyles today said the emergency direction was incorrect, and apologised to residents.
"The clear direction is if you are in those residences in Katherine East, once you’ve had a test you are free to move about the community."
The snap lockdown has shown promising signs.
Police are manning entry points to the red zone.
Eighty-seven tests were undertaken in the red zone last night, with three coming back positive.
The government is not ruling out further localised lockdowns.
"It’s appropriate, and this has happened in other places as well, where you actually target testing in a location rather than more broadly," Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie said.
This afternoon, people were still lining up to get tested in order to regain their right to move about.
Residents young and old have turned out to get Covid-19 tests.
"I was in the line for an hour and there’s people way back, so the line is long because these mob were waiting for testing to come door to door," Mr Djordan-King said.
"So now everyone’s coming out and getting tested so they can go about their business."
New exposure sites are expected to be declared amid the new COVID cases.
The Katherine cluster now stands at 67 confirmed cases.
