Coronavirus: Christmas Island readies for Wuhan evacuees

The arrival of more than 200 Australians from the epicentre of virus outbreak sparks angst among locals on Christmas Island.

AUSMAT teams prepare to depart Darwin for Christmas Island where they will help with the quarantine of those evacuated from China during the deadly coronavirus outbreak. Picture: SUPPLIED

Five charter planes, including three RAAF aircraft, are scheduled to bring more equipment, supplies and workers to Christmas Island on Sunday ahead of the quarantining of what could be more than 200 Australians on the Indian Ocean territory.

The Australian has been told the number of Australian citizens who have registered interest in being evacuated from Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, has risen incrementally since Friday when an estimated 150 people were expected.

Cargo arrives on Christmas Island to set up for Australian evacuees from Wuhan. Picture: Colin Murty

An Ausmat medical team of 23 will monitor the Australians inside the Christmas Island detention centre for 14 days and treat them if they get sick. The Howard-era facility was completed in 2008 to hold asylum seekers who arrived by boat. It is in the northwest corner of the island, about 20 minutes by car from the main settlement. The Ausmat medical team will not leave the detention centre once the Australians arrive from Wuhan.

They are due Monday and will be shuttled to the centre in groups of about 20. They may travel on minibuses to be flown in Sunday for the purpose.

Christmas Island North West Point detention centre. Picture: Colin Murty

There has been angst among residents about how the Australians from Wuhan would get to the detention centre because the only known buses in service on Christmas Island are used to take children to school.

But Christmas Island administrator Natasha Griggs, the federal government’s representative on the tiny Australian territory, told residents in a Facebook post that the quarantined Australians would not access any services used by Christmas Island residents.

Medical facilities on Christmas Island.

She assured locals the quarantined Australians would not move around the island or go to the supermarket.

The Australian understands some elements of the humanitarian mission are not yet clear to the local shire, which usually collects the rubbish from the detention centre and dumps it at the local tip.

Despite layers of chalk, rats are known to dig into the rubbish and eat it. As Australian Border Force prepares to stock the detention centre with enough meals for medical staff and the Australians from Wuhan for at least 14 days, the shire has asked for clarification about whether the rubbish will be burnt on site.