Coronavirus evacuee bus drivers pose no contamination threat to Darwin community, says NT Health boss

ACTING NT Chief Health Officer Dianne Stephens has moved to quell concerns about coronavirus evacuee bus drivers potentially posing a contamination threat to the Darwin community

Buses deliver Australian evacuees from Wuhan to the former Inpex workers’ camp in Howard Springs on Sunday. Picture: Che Chorley

ACTING NT Chief Health Officer Dianne Stephens has moved to quell concerns about coronavirus evacuee bus drivers potentially posing a contamination threat to the Darwin community.

Ms Stephens assured the public all appropriate measures were taken to ensure public safety and the bus drivers who transported evacuees from Darwin airport to the former Inpex camp were not a risk to schoolchildren, or anyone else.

The bus drivers were clear to drive public transport buses the following day.

“The bus drivers had masks on, there were two seats between them and the rest of the bus. Every passenger and every child had a mask on, and there was no chance of interaction or droplet spread,” she said.

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“We need to remember that these 200 plus people are well – none of them are sick, none of them are coughing,” Ms Stephens said.

“The risk to the bus drivers was absolutely minimum.

“He is not at risk of having coronavirus, and it is perfectly safe for him to be driving a bus today,” she said.

“The bus drivers dropped the passengers, and then left the facility. The buses were then cleaned according to a protocol that we had set out prior to the transport – all of this was well planned. We took a very cautious approach.”

The first two bus loads of evacuees have arrived at the former Howard Springs Inpex workers camp @TheNTNews #coronavirusaustralia pic.twitter.com/SCFRQeRLZY

— Will Zwar (@zwar_w) February 9, 2020

Ms Stephens also addressed concerns the coronavirus could be airborne.

Speaking at a meeting with parents of children at the Good Shepherd Lutheran College — the school located near the quarantine camp — Ms Stephens said the virus could only be spread by droplets, requiring close, unprotected personal contact.

“Even if I had the virus, I would have to cough on you or kiss you or spit on you and you rub it in your eyes,” she said.

Daily checks on the evacuees has not yet shown any signs of coronavirus amid the evacuees.

Director of Disaster Preparedness and Response, National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre, Abigail Trewin, confirmed all Darwin citizens who have worked with the evacuees have followed all strict procedures and guidelines.

“Everyone throughout this process has been wearing masks, that’s a normal procedure. We take the highest precautions to manage that,” she said,

“Those who then work in close contact have additional PPE (personal protective equipment). We follow national guidelines on what’s appropriate.”

Director of Disaster Preparedness and Response, National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre, Abigail Trewin, said it was still being determined how the evacuees will spend their time at the Manigurr-ma Camp.

Evacuees get off the bus and enter the workers camp where they will be spending the next 14 days @TheNTNews #coronavirusaustralia pic.twitter.com/ChiWbNq6AW

— Will Zwar (@zwar_w) February 9, 2020

The group was split up to contain any potential spread of the virus within the grounds of the camp.

“At the moment, the focus was getting everyone in appropriate rooms,” she said.

“Keeping families together is really important.

“Over the next few days, they (evacuees) will then work in groups to determine which recreational facilities that they’ll be able to use.”

Ms Trewin said evacuees were currently eating meals in the isolation of their rooms as plans around people management continue to evolve.

“(Sunday) night they had meals delivered to their rooms, and (Monday) morning there was breakfast served that they collected and took back to their rooms,” she said.

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“Over the next few days, that will continue in various forms.”

“The plans are still being developed on how we bring people together.”