Another 30 cases detected in Territory Correctional Centres

Territory prisons are limiting the movement of inmates to contain a growing correctional cluster.

UPDATE, TUES 7AM: TERRITORY prisons are limiting the movement of inmates to contain a growing correctional cluster.

Acting NT Corrections Commissioner David Thompson said a total of 30 people had tested positive to Covid on Monday, with more testing ongoing.

Mr Thompson said the largest cluster was at Alice Springs, with 22 cases, with Darwin Correctional Centre recording eight positive cases.

There were no Covid cases at the Barkly Work Camp near Tennant Creek or the Datjala Work Camp near Nhulunbuy.

“All affected prisoners are in isolation and are being supported and monitored,” Mr Thompson said.

He said all custodial centres were limiting movement within the facilities, while visitors were barred from the centre until the end of the week.

Mr Thompson said the suspension of social visits could be extended.

“Arrangements are also being made for professional visitors such as lawyers, to be able to communicate with their clients remotely by phone or video links,” he said.

Mr Thompson said Correctional Services had a comprehensive Covid infection control and response plans, including isolating and testing every new prisoner entered the facility before they could join the general population.

He said all staff were full vaccinated and those working with infected prisoners were wearing full PPE.

“More than 90 per cent of prisoners at the Darwin and Alice Springs Correctional facilities are double vaccinated and 100 per cent of prisoners at both work camps are double vaccinated,” Mr Thompson said.

UPDATED SAT 3PM: CORRECTIONS has revealed 14 prisoners and six staff at the Alice Springs Correctional Centre tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday.

Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison announced the revised figure on Saturday afternoon but said it was unclear how the inmates were infected.

On Friday night, authorities revealed 14 inmates had tested positive.

Acting NT Correctional Services Commissioner David Thompson said the prisoners were being monitored and other inmates were being tested.

“The Alice Springs facility is now in lockdown to further reduce the risks of the infection spreading to other prisoners and staff,” Mr Thompson said.

“Earlier this week the first case of a prisoner testing positive to Covid-19 in the Northern Territory also occurred at the Alice Springs Correctional Centre.”

“All Correctional Services staff working at the facility are fully vaccinated and any Correctional staff assigned to support the affected prisoners in isolation wear full PPE.”

WEDNESDAY: THE Territory has recorded another 352 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of people fighting the virus to about 2700.

Of the new cases, 155 were detected in rapid antigen tests.

Almost 30 people are in hospital, with 16 classified as acute hospital admissions.

Two people are in the ICU, but only one person is in ICU for Covid-19 treatment.

Due to the increase in cases, the lockouts for Yuendumu and Yuelamu will remain in place until at least midday Saturday.

They were previously expected to end midday Friday.

There are now a total of 24 cases from Yuendumu.

All cases and identified close contacts are in isolation, and further contact tracing is underway.

NT Health teams are working to undertake testing across the community and provide the COVID-19 vaccination. 25 residents were vaccinated in the region yesterday.

Across the NT, 2470 PCR tests were processed on Tuesday.

Covid case discovered in prison system

THE Territory has recorded its first Covid positive prisoner after a young man was put into isolation in Alice Springs.

Acting Corrections Commissioner David Thompson confirmed the 20-year-old man tested positive while in isolation at the Alice Springs Correctional Centre.

“This is the first time a prisoner has returned a positive Covid test result while in a Northern Territory custodial facility,” Mr Thompson said.

The prisoner was in isolation following his entry into the facility on January 8.

Mr Thompson said correctional services had a comprehensive Covid infection control and response plans, which include all new arrivals being isolated, monitored and tested prior to joining the general population.

Alice Springs Correctional Centre stock photo

“All appropriate measures have been implemented to reduce the risk of spreading the infection at the Alice Springs facility,” he said.

Mr Thompson said all staff were wearing PPE while working with the infected prisoner.

NT Health said 90 per cent of Alice Springs prisoners were double vaccinated, with 97 per cent having received one dose.

All correctional staff at Alice Springs are fully vaccinated.

NT Health said 91 per cent of prisoners at Darwin Correctional Centre were double vaccinated and 94 per cent had received their first dose.

All prisoners at the Barkly and Datjala work camps are double vaccinated.

TUESDAY CASE NUMBERS

MORE than 1 per cent of the Territory’s population is battling Covid, with 584 new cases recorded across the NT on Tuesday.

It was a record-equalling number of infections with the same number of cases also recorded on Saturday. The overall number of active cases has now reached about 2600.

Deputy Chief Minister and Acting Health Minister Nicole Manison said despite numbers remaining quite steady over the weekend it was expected they would rise again.

With calls to the Covid hotline tripling on Monday, causing wait times to blow out, Ms Manison urged people to register their positive results through coronavirus.nt.gov.au.

“Our message today is that if you test positive to Covid please go to the website and declare it. Yur declaration will be screened, processed and we will follow it up,” she said.

“If you have high risk factors we want to make sure that you are absolutely getting the most appropriate care.

“And importantly, if you are caring for someone who has tested positive or you are someone who has tested positive and your symptoms are quite severe, make sure you do get help.”

chief health officer Hugh Heggie said despite numbers increasing, particularly in the 20 to 39 age range, it was important to note hospital admissions and the number of people in intensive care had not increased.

There are currently 32 patients in hospitals across the Territory with 11 classified as acute hospital admissions including one person in ICU.  “The ICU number, particularly those related to ventilation, has not shifted and the numbers in ICU have also remained low,” Dr Heggie said.

“We’ve got the capacity to have the hospitals across the Territory able to manage the unwell people. You do see in some of the other jurisdictions ICU admissions and deaths occurring, so this war isn’t over, but I like to think that this battle we have control of.”

Vaccinations and changing people’s behaviour be more Covid-safe would be some of the main aspects helping in the Territory’s fight against the virus, Dr Heggie said.

“So I have comfort in the hospital capability, in the ICU and also managing people who have minimal symptoms in a safe way,” he said.

The update came a day after a Territory-wide lockout ended and was replaced with the new vaccine pass system which required licensed venues and large events to check vaccine certificates upon entry.

However, the lockouts in Yuendumu and Yuelamu were extended as a result of low vaccination rates.

Ms Manison said 65 per cent of the Yuendumu community had received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 41 per cent was double-dosed – higher numbers than what is published on the government’s Covid-19 website.

According to the website, 54 per cent of the Yuelamu community has received their first dose while just a third of the residents are fully vaccinated.

EARLIER: Chief Minister and Acting Health Minister Nicole Manison will provide the Territory with an update on the latest Covid numbers today.

Ms Manison is expected to provide the update at 12pm and will be joined by chief health officer Hugh Heggie and Acting Police Commissioner Michael Murphy.

Case numbers are expected to stay above triple digits with 403 new cases announced on Monday.

Originally published as Another 30 cases detected in Territory Correctional Centres