About 180 coronavirus cruise evacuees arrive at Howard Springs quarantine camp
UPDATED: Busloads of Australian evacuees — from the coronavirus-stricken cruise ship, the Diamond Princess in Japan — have arrived at the former Inpex workers’ site in Howard Springs where they will now be quarantined for the next 14 days
Northern Territory
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BUSLOADS of Australian evacuees — from the coronavirus-stricken cruise ship, the Diamond Princess in Japan — have arrived at the former Inpex workers’ site in Howard Springs where they will now be quarantined for the next 14 days.
The evacuees waved happily, gave the thumbs up and filmed the waiting media as they drove into the camp.
The Qantas plane carrying about 180 evacuees from the Diamond Princess touched down in Darwin about 8.15am this morning.
An ambulance was on standby as the Qantas 747 landed at Darwin International Airport.
Plane spotters gathered at the end of the runway on Amy Johnson Ave to watch the plane touch down.
Medical staff in blue suits waited at the foot of the stairs as passengers walked down one by one.
On the tarmac they waited for their loved ones to come down before being escorted by medical staff to be screened.
Their arms were filled with jackets, blankets and pillows, and all wore medical masks covering their mouths.
The evacuees, all Australian citizens and permanent residents and about seven New Zealanders, were led inside a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) building to be screened, before being led onto two buses.
A police escort of motorbikes and cars led the journey to Maningurr-Ma Village in Howard Springs.
As the evacuees hit the Stuart Hwy, they waved at the waiting media and well-wishers.
While their mouths were hidden by masks, from their bright eyes it was clear how happy they were to be back on Australian soil.
The New Zealand evacuees were also screened and then boarded a plane headed for Auckland.
The masked passengers thanked staff while walking up the steps, headed for home.
As the first bus load of coronavirus evacuees was driven into the Howard Springs workers camp, local man Anthony Devine held up a ‘Welcome to Larrakia Land’ sign.
In 2009 Mr Devine was quarantined in Kuala Lumpur after showing signs of swine flu while working on board a ship.
He said it was a nerve wracking time for him being in a foreign country, as his temperature soared into the high 30s.
Mr Devine spent several days in isolation before he was able to leave. During that time a person quarantined next to him died.
An emotional Mr Devine said he could only imagine how the people stuck on board the Diamond Princess must have felt.
“People are negative to it (the evacuees being brought back to Australia). They haven’t been in my shoes or their shoes,” Mr Devine said.
“It’s not their fault that they got sick.
“You can’t punish them. They are Australian citizens.”
Mr Devine said the Australians on board the Diamond Princess should have been brought home earlier.
“If I was there any longer I would be freaking out,” he said.
He said while some people criticised the fact that the Howard Springs facility was not appropriate he said it would be far better than where they had been cooped up until now.
Sky News’ Matt Cunningham reported that six of the evacuees were showing cold and flu-like symptons when they were screened at the camp and they would be isolated from the others.
Tests for coronavirus have been carried out on the six and will be sent away to check for the virus.
Multiple tests were also carried out over many days on the first cohort of evacuees from Wuhan who are already quarantined at the camp but all have come back negative.
Earlier, as the latest evacuees prepared to leave their quarantined ship, there was heartbreak for one Australian family who had to withdraw from the evacuation just before passengers were about to disembark.
We were pushing our bags out when the call came with our test results from Monday’s sampling. Kaitlyn has tested positive. We will not be taking the flight tonight. Our family will stay together #hangintherediamondprincess #quarantine https://t.co/T9E4F2ygxm pic.twitter.com/P3euQqFXZH
— Aun Na Tan (@qtiepie) February 19, 2020
Melbourne mother Aun Na Tan said her family had packed their bags ready to depart when they were informed their daughter, Kaitlyn, had tested positive to the virus.
“We were pushing our bags out when the call came with our test results from Monday’s sampling,” Ms Tan wrote on social media.
The family was then given the option for one adult to stay with their daughter and the rest travel to Darwin, but they declined.
“We will not be taking the flight ... Our family will stay together,” she said.
The Manigurr-Mar village — the correct name for the Howard Springs quarantine camp — has 875 accommodation units and 3500 bedrooms.
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