Covid cases increase in remote Far North Indigenous communities
Torres Strait communities have rapidly embraced social distancing measures as people come forward for booster shots, while Covid cases in remote regions continue to escalate.
Cairns
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ALTHOUGH Covid positive cases were expected to reach Torres Strait communities after the Queensland border reopened, Torres Shire Council Mayor Vonda Malone said Covid cases had emerged much faster than expected.
Covid positive cases across remote regions of the Far North are increasing, with 37 active cases across the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service (TCHHS) region on Monday.
A TCHHS spokesman said several new cases had been identified, but some had left the region and were being managed elsewhere.
On January 3, there were 10 cases on Thursday Island, 11 at Weipa, one at Bamaga, 12 at Lakeland and three at Cooktown.
“We have always been concerned, from the very onset of Covid, Indigenous communities need to have an extra level of vigilance, we had good measures in place but we knew, opening the border, we had no defence, we are not only an Indigenous community but a regional hub,” Ms Malone said.
“It was highly likely it would happen, we didn’t want it in the festive season but it was a lot quicker than anybody expected.”
Ms Malone said the community had quickly embraced measures such as masks and social distancing.
“There’s been a good response from the community with a lot of testing done and everyone doing the right thing,” Ms Malone said.
“It’s been a really quiet New Year with no big arrangements, so we have been able to minimise any further outbreak.”
She said 92 per cent had one jab, 76 per cent had two jabs and 500 people had come forward for booster shots.
Thursday Island has 3500 local residents and a fly-in, fly-out cohort of 1500.
“We’ve had a big surge of people coming forward for booster shots,” Ms Malone said.
“We have proven that we can work closely as a community with agencies.”
Across Queensland, 65.4 per cent of Indigenous people have had two doses, as of January 3.
That compares with 86.6 per cent of the general population.
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Originally published as Covid cases increase in remote Far North Indigenous communities
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