Katherine school remains closed while town’s hospital exposed five times to Covid-19

Katherine’s hospital has been exposed five times to Covid-19 as health experts say the NT has ‘contingencies’ for handling a wider outbreak.

UPDATED: KATHERINE Hospital and two medical centres have been listed as exposure sites, but general practitioners in the Top End town have sought to reassure the public they remain open.

Wurli Wurlinjang Health Service on Third St has been listed as an exposure site between 10.00am and 11.45am on Monday, November 15.

Gudbinji Clinic on Kintore St was visited on the same day between 1pm and 3pm.

Katherine Hospital’s emergency and outpatient departments are listed on five separate occasions between November 11 and November 15.

But two general practitioners offices have said they’re open for normal and telehealth consults.

Bauhinia Health on First St is open between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday, with Covid-19 vaccination appointments available.

Katherine Family Medical Practice on Katherine Tce is open 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 1pm Saturday.

Katherine Hospital has been listed as an exposure site five times. Picture: File.

UPDATED: A KATHERINE school was left empty on Wednesday after an infected tutor visited the facility earlier this week, while staff in the town’s hospital receive daily tests.

MacFarlane Primary School was deep-cleaned and three close contacts have been put into 14 days’ isolation after the tutor tested positive on Tuesday, a Northern Territory government spokesman told the NT News.

Meanwhile, Katherine Hospital’s emergency and outpatient departments have been declared close-contact exposure sites on five occasions across four separate days.

But acting chief health officer Charles Pain has insisted the facility has not yet had to compromise on its services, suggesting the affected doctors and nurses are still allowed to continue working.

Dr Pain said “a small number” of medical workers had been exposed.

“No one actually is in isolation at this point,” he said.

Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) in Darwin's northern suburbs (Tiwi). Emergency Department sign.

Dr Pain said doctors and nurses were being tested daily.

“There’s obviously a small risk of transmission from staff to patients, and we take that into account in our risk assessment.”

The added pressure on the Katherine Hospital comes after the Territory’s largest medical facility – the Royal Darwin Hospital – announced it was suspending some non-essential surgeries for the rest of the week.

Dr Pain said that the Territory’s health system was “under significant pressure all of the time”.

“Our system is prone to being overwhelmed if we cannot get people protected,” he said.

Dr Pain and Chief Minister Michael Gunner urged people holding out to get their vaccination immediately to reduce the chance of the Territory’s healthcare system being swamped by seriously ill patients.

AMA NT president Dr Robert Parker said the NT had contingencies in place. Picture: iStock

Australian Medical Association NT president Robert Parker said health authorities had contingencies in case Katherine Hospital was put under significant strain.

“(If) the hospital is having trouble coping, then the RDH would send clinicians down to assist,” Dr Parker said.

But he said the system was coping relatively well.

“It seems to be working at the moment. It seems to be contained within Katherine,” Dr Parker said.

“They seem to be providing testing, they seem to be providing support.”

There are no intensive care beds at the Katherine Hospital, with patients in a serious condition or needing specialist care often transferred to the Royal Darwin Hospital.

Generic Photo of the CDU Casuarina Campus. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL

EARLIER: CHARLES Darwin University has postponed events on their Casuarina campus as “a precautionary measure” after a student was identified as a close contact.

The student was contacted by NT health after visiting an exposure site in Katherine and has since left campus to get tested and self-isolate.

A household contact of the student is also isolating.

“We have made the regrettable decision to postpone the Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture this evening, Wednesday 17 November and the Palmerston Open Day tomorrow, Thursday 18 November,” Charles Darwin University Professor Scott Bowman said.

Mr Bowman said the university is complying with all NT Government requirements, with classes able to continue.

“Please note that pending any further updates or instructions from NT Health, the Casuarina campus will continue to operate classes as scheduled,” he said.

Originally published as Katherine school remains closed while town’s hospital exposed five times to Covid-19