The Northern Territory has recorded two more Delta variant COVID-19 cases as an outbreak that started in a central Australian mine grows.
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The most recent Top End cases are the wife and daughter of a worker who left Newmont's Granites Mine, about 540km northwest of Alice Springs, on Friday.
The Palmerston family tested positive while isolating at the Howard Springs quarantine facility, Chief Minister Michael Gunner told reporters Tuesday.
"We can't be certain, but we are hopeful that the two new cases became infectious while isolating", he said.
"We are still very nervous, we're not close to relaxing yet, there is still a lot of worry.
"I'm planning for the worst-case (scenario)."
There are now 11 cases linked to the mine but only ten have been recognised by the NT government.
A close contact of one of the two mineworkers diagnosed in Queensland hasn't been included in the Tanami Desert cluster.
Darwin and its surrounding areas have been in lockdown since Sunday after a young Victorian man, who had travelled to the mine on June 18 via a Brisbane quarantine hotel, tested positive for the virus on Saturday.
About 250 fly-in, fly-out mine workers have since travelled to Western Australia, 170 to Queensland, 29 to South Australia, and six to Victoria.
Three workers headed for Tasmania and two miners went to New Zealand, with 259 remaining in the Top End.
Two workers tested positive in Queensland, along with a close contact.
Another infected mineworker was found in NSW, while two other infected miners who had not left the gold mine were evacuated to the Howard Springs facility.
A Darwin man in his 50s, who left the mine on Friday, also tested positive.
He travelled to multiple venues, including the Buff Club for more than four hours, before being ordered into quarantine.
NT Health has found all but 29 of 171 close contacts linked to the members-only watering hole. They have been ordered to isolate.
Seven other close contacts, including a taxi driver, have been found and moved to the Howard Springs facility to quarantine.
Newmont says it's working with states and territories to help track down and test about 800 workers who had left the mine since June 18.
The company is also working with NT Health to care for and test 754 workers forced into isolation at the mine.
"The Tanami operation remains shut down, with people isolating in individual rooms except for those responsible for critical operations such as catering and support services," a spokesman said in a statement.
Mr Gunner raised concerns for Darwin's itinerant population, many of whom are Indigenous people.
"Larrakia Nation is continuing their excellent work engaging with rough sleepers," he said.
"They are helping us identify anyone who may have visited (the Stuart Park Corner Store Friendly Grocer exposure site) so they can be tested and provided with accommodation."
He said the most recent cases attended a Palmerston Zumba class between 9am and 9:30am on Saturday and that venue was now a high-risk close contact exposure site.
Everyone who attended the class and their household contacts have been ordered to isolate at home for 14 days.
Other public exposure sites include the Darwin International Airport departure lounge, Bunnings Darwin, the Chungwua Terrace public toilet, the Commonwealth Bank on Smith Street in the CBD and Gateway Shopping Centre in Palmerston.
Darwin, Palmerston and Litchfield local government areas, and Wagait and Belyuen Shires, remain in lockdown until Friday, with anyone leaving their home required to wear a face mask.
Residents are only permitted to leave home for medical treatment, to obtain essential goods and services, for work considered essential, one hour of exercise a day or to provide care.
Meanwhile, the NT has declared hotspots in Queensland and WA, adding to a hotspot declaration already in place for NSW.
Australian Associated Press
