NT has capacity for just 100 positive COVID cases, just two ICU patients, as India flights resume
Acting chief health officer Dr Charles Pain has revealed the number of critical COVID-19 patients the Northern Territory can handle can be counted on just one hand.
Northern Territory
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- ‘India flights must not create a burden on the health system’: NT Govt
- Howard Springs to take all passengers on India repatriation flights: PM
HOWARD Springs will resume repatriation flights from India on May 15.
Three flights will arrive in the Top End before the end of the month, as Australia looks to get as many stranded citizens back home, after a decision in national cabinet on Friday.
But the acting chief health officer Dr Charles Pain has revealed the Northern Territory can only take two COVID-positive patients in intensive care at a time.
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Chief Minister Michael Gunner said Australians would need to test negative to a rapid COVID-19 test in order to board repatriation flights.
Mr Gunner said he was happy for the flights to resume following a reduction of the active cases in the quarantine camp from 55 just a week ago to 21 currently.
“The active caseload at Howard Springs has reduced by almost two thirds,” he said.
Each of the three Indian flights would have roughly 150 passengers each.
Other repatriation flights will land in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
Mr Gunner Howard Springs and the NT health system is currently taking 15 per cent of the nation’s international arrivals.
Dr Pain on Friday revealed arrivals would be “moderated” if the number of COVID-19 positive patients at Howard Springs reached concerning levels.
He said Howard Springs’ theoretical maximum COVID-19 cases was 100, with Royal Darwin able to handle just two critically-ill patients at once.
“We just don't know what’s going to come through now (from India), but to very conservative we set a limit of 50,” he said.
“We really can’t take more than two, preferably only one, in the ICU who are COVID positive.”
With recruitment of new employees for Howard Springs, the facility will be holding up to 2000 returning travellers from June.
The NT government have now recruited more than 250 of the 400 workers required for the withdrawal of AUSMAT crews from Howard Springs.
The NT government officially took control of the Howard Springs facility last Monday.
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