Father of three rushed to hospital after blood oxygenation falls to dangerous levels

A Katherine father and husband who tested positive for Covid-19 has been rushed to intensive care, with his wife revealing details of their horror stay at the Howard Springs quarantine facility.

UPDATE 5PM SATURDAY, EXCLUSIVE: A FATHER of three who tested positive for Covid-19 remains in a very serious condition at the Royal Darwin Hospital after being admitted to intensive care on Friday night.

The man’s wife, who wishes to remain anonymous, is currently recovering from the virus at Howard Springs quarantine facility.

The man, aged in his 50s, was taken from his donga on Friday. His wife said his oxygen levels dropped to 89 per cent.

The woman, a Katherine resident, said both she and her husband were fully vaccinated.

She said he had developed a lung infection while quarantining at Howard Springs.

It is the latest twist in a horror week for the Katherine-based family of five, who have been isolating in Howard Springs after becoming infected with Covid-19 in the community.

The woman said her daughter had earlier injured herself after falling from a bedframe at the facility.

“My five year old daughter’s head had been split open, which it took doctors four hours to come to glue back together,” she said.

A five-year-old girl who hit her head after falling from a bed in Howard Springs: Picture: Supplied

“She was climbing on the bedframe and fell, because there’s nothing to do here.”

“Nurses arrived in 30 minutes, and put a bandage around it.”

She said her daughter was now recovering from the ordeal.

The family is believed to have become infected through the MacFarlane Primary School in Katherine, but contact tracers have not been able to rule out other exposure sites. The mother said she and her daughter arrived in the facility on November 21, with her husband and two sons arriving two days later.

She described allowing her 10-year-old son to isolate in a room by himself as “ridiculous” and expressed her admiration for the staff, who were “doing the best with what they’ve got”.

When contacted for comment, NT Health said they did not comment on individual cases in Howard Springs.

There were no new cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in the Territory on Saturday, but wastewater results for the Bicentennial Rd catchment in Katherine continued to return positive results.

UPDATE 10.30AM SATURDAY: AUTHORITIES have revealed a man in his 50s is being treated in intensive care for Covid-19 at the Royal Darwin Hospital.

The NT News understands the man, who is double-vaccinated, is in a very serious condition.

In a statement sent out on Saturday, the Chief Minister’s office said there had been no new cases of Covid-19 detected in the Territory in the past 24 hours.

No further information about the hospitalised man was provided.

The number of cases associated with the Darwin-Katherine-Robinson River cluster sits at 60.

The statement said there were currently 218 active close contacts, all of whom had been isolated.

Wastewater for the Bicentennial Rd catchment in Katherine remains positive. Days of subsequent positive results in the catchment’s wastewater has been a cause for concern, acting chief health officer Dr Charles Pain said on Friday.

EARLIER: A MAJOR Crime Unit investigation is looking into the source of the latest cluster after a woman in her 70s, who was hospitalised with Covid-19, passed away.

Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said confirmed police were involved and would be investigating potential criminal charges relating to a breach of chief health officer directions.

“It appeared to be the seed that started the spread of Covid within the Northern Territory and as such major crime any undertaking an investigation,” Mr Chalker said.

Mr Chalker would not disclose the scope or the identities of anyone who may become part of the investigation.

“We will now investigate to identify what the causation may have been that ultimately led to Covid being contracted by the lady that passed away last night, and whether there’s any criminality in relation to that.”

“Suffice to say that the Northern Territory community can be satisfied that the Northern Territory Police are investigating the causation and links.”

The woman’s passing was the first Covid-related fatality in the Territory.

“The death has occurred in the Northern Territory linked to Covid,” Mr Chalker said.

“Covid had not previously been in the Northern Territory in an environment where it couldn’t be contained. “

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he had to be careful about what he could reveal in reaction to the possibility of criminal charges.

Mr Gunner said the majority were complying with the necessary Covid border permits to keep the community safe.

“The overwhelming majority of Territorians and people coming to this place had absolutely put others before themselves,” he said.

“(But) there has been some selfishness.

“Just absolutely do the right thing. It’s not about you. It’s about others.”