Woman from Bagot community dies from Covid-19

A second person has died from Covid-19 in the NT, as the Territory records 412 new cases.

A WOMAN from the Bagot community has died after contracting Covid-19.

The woman was in the ICU at the Royal Darwin Hospital for a number of days before passing away.

The Aboriginal woman, in her 40s, had been “very unwell,” acting health minister Nicole Manison said.

She did have underlying health conditions and she was fully vaccinated, Ms Manison said.

“But sadly, despite all the efforts she has passed so I’d like to send my deepest condolences to her family, to the Bagot community because we know that they will be hurting right now,” she said.

“I also want to send out my thanks and also sympathy to the staff in the ICU because we know that they worked incredibly hard here.”

The woman had had both vaccines but hadn’t had the chance to have her booster dose, acting chief health officer Charles Pain said.

“Vaccination is still our best defence,” he said.

“We will see unfortunately occasionally people who have been vaccinated who will succumb to this illness.

“The booster doses are our best extra defense against this this disease and particularly the Omicron variant.”

Dr Pain said at this stage it was unknown which variant of Covid-19 the woman had.

The death came as the Territory recorded 412 new cases of the virus on Saturday, with 32 people in hospital.

There are about 3730 active cases in the NT, and about half of those are people aged between 20 and 39.

“So we’re still seeing that age bracket having the most Covid and 75 per cent of these cases are in the greater Darwin area,” Ms Manison said.

“About 15 per cent in Alice Springs and surrounding areas and 5 per cent in the Katherine area, about 4 per cent in East Arnhem, and the remainder of those are across the Territory.”

There were a further two cases in Yuendumu, bringing the community’s total to 45.

Of those, 14 people are isolating in the community.

Yuendumu has continued to get vaccinated with the community’s vax rate now at 81 per cent first dose, Ms Manison said.

However, Yuendumu and Yuelamu will remain in a lockout until next Thursday.

The Alyerre Hostel in Alice Springs has recorded four cases of Covid-19, including three patients and one staff member.

The hostel houses people who are in the town receiving renal treatment.

Ms Manison said there was work being done to ensure those people were getting “the very best care given they have those underlying health conditions”.

There were also eight cases at the Alice Springs Forensic Facility, including seven inpatients.

Follow @PhillippaButt