Five people have been slapped with infringement penalties for allegedly violating NT Health directions to self-isolate following the Sydney and Northern Beaches hotspot declaration in December, authorities said on Wednesday.

NT Police made the announcement of the fines more than five weeks after the hotspot declaration in Northern Beaches was first declared.

Incident Controller Acting Commander Scott Pollock said the five individuals were in the NT prior to the Sydney and Northern Beaches hotspot declaration.

When the hotspot was declared, all travellers who entered the NT after December 18, 2020 and anyone who entered for the previous seven days from that area, were asked to get tested and self-quarantine while awaiting results.

“These five people ignored the request to self-quarantine and gambled with the lives of Territorians. As a result, they have received infringements for their actions,” Cdr Pollock said.

“If you lie, or are not honest with your recent location history when entering the NT, we will investigate and, if you are found out, you will be fined.”

“We will continue to pursue those who deliberately breach the directions of the NT Chief Health Officer to ensure our community remains safe from COVID-19.”

No details were provided as to how these people violated the quarantine regulations or what public places they attended when they were supposed to be quarantining.

Their COVID-19 test results were also not provided, but it’s assumed they were negative.

The NT Government launched the Territory’s check-in app six weeks ago that has reportedly seen 770,000 people check-in at over 2,600 venues, according to Chief Minister Michael Gunner. It was not mentioned however if the technology had been used to locate the people who were given infringement notices.

The NT Government has also recently asked travellers from New Zealand who arrived from January 14 and have been in a declared hotspot area to get tested and self-quarantine as well.

Two weeks ago, the NT Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie lifted coronavirus restrictions on some people coming from Sydney.

The order covering Greater Metropolitan Sydney has been revoked but restrictions remain for people travelling from several suburbs. They include Blacktown, Canada Bay, Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Parramatta, Cumberland, Burwood, Strathfield, and the Inner West Council Area.

Anyone travelling to the NT from anywhere in Sydney other than those locations will no longer be required to quarantine and people currently in quarantine will be released, NT Health said.

Meanwhile, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced easing COVID-19 restrictions beginning Friday. But wearing masks are still mandatory on public transport and place of worship.

The infringement penalty for failing to abide by the NT CHO’s directions is $5,056 for an individual and $25,280 for a business. According to NT police, 169 fines have been issued to violators and 36,162 compliance checks have now been done.