The federal government has extended biosecurity zone measures in a number of remote communities in the Northern Territory for a further two weeks.
The biosecurity zones, which the Commonwealth initially introduced in early February and were scheduled to expire on Thursday, prevent travel to and from remote communities across the Northern Territory.
The Northern Land Council (NLC) said it welcomed the Commonwealth's decision to extend the declaration until at least March 3 as remote communities throughout the Territory continued to battle COVID-19 outbreaks.
"These are really tough times and we haven't seen the worst of COVID," NLC chairman Samuel Bush-Blanasi said.
"We all really need to stay strong, stay safe and care for our families.
"The most important thing that everyone can do is to get vaccinated. Now that most adults have got their jabs — and if you haven't you should — the next step is to make sure our kids are vaccinated."
Mr Bush-Blanasi said traditional owners were continuing to push for local isolation centres in communities and he asked the NT government to step up and help establish the facilities.
"We support these efforts to keep people safe, particularly at Yirrkala, Borroloola, Jabiru, Wadeye, Yarralin and elsewhere," he said.
"The NLC is standing by to provide any further assistance and support that we can and we call on the NT government, the National Indigenous Australians Agency and other organisations — including mining and energy companies — to provide further support for these local initiatives and work with the NLC to do so."
Hospitalisations drop, cases hover above 1,000
The Northern Territory has recorded 1,045 new cases of COVID-19 in the latest reporting period.
There are 137 people in hospital, with 21 patients requiring oxygen and one person in intensive care.
Authorities say 531 of the new cases were recorded in the Top End region, with 170 in Central Australia, 103 in East Arnhem, 53 in the Big Rivers region, 45 in the Barkly area and 143 still under investigation.
There are currently 6,977 active cases across the NT.
It comes following the declaration of a Code Yellow overcrowding alert at the Royal Darwin and Palmerston hospitals yesterday, which followed calls from health workers' unions for the government to go a step further and declare a Code Brown.
The Code Yellow — which is a declaration made by hospital authorities — continues a pause on elective surgeries and will see closer case management of patients who could potentially be discharged.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner rejected the calls for the government to declare a Code Brown for the broader health system, declaring the NT was "past the peak" of the current wave.
In a statement, NT Health said the Code Yellow had been declared across both facilities "due to a peak in hospital capacity as a result of both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related demand".
The statement said infection control measures to manage and isolate COVID-positive patients had "exacerbated" capacity issues.
NT Health has encouraged patients with non-emergency needs to see their GP as soon as they become sick, to avoid becoming sicker and needing hospital-level care.
