ADF and AUSMAT teams arrive to reopen unstaffed North West Regional Hospital

Australian Defence Force and medical assistance personnel have touched down in the state to get the professionally cleaned North West Regional Hospital back up and running. SEE THE PICTURES

THE Australian Defence Force has landed in Burnie to help in the battle against the COVID-19 outbreak in the North-West city.

Forty ADF personnel and a seven-person Australian Medical Assistance Team flew in on Tuesday, tasked with getting the North West Regional Hospital’s Emergency Department back up and running when professional cleaning is finished.

That is expected to be completed Thursday.

Australian Defence Force personnel arrive in Wynyard to provide specialist medical support to the Australian Medical Assistance Team at the North West Regional Hospital in Burnie. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Colonel David Hughes said it was the first time the ADF and AUSMAT had been required in Australia to carry out such a task, but they had been deployed overseas in similar environments.

“We are well prepared and resourced and happy to be able to help,” Colonel Hughes said.

The NWRH was closed on Monday because it was empty of staff.

More than 1000 health workers from the public and nearby private hospitals and their families will be in quarantine for 14 days as the State Government tries to control the outbreak, which is linked to 80 of the state’s 165 coronavirus cases.

Colonel David Hughes, commander of the joint task-force in Tasmania. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Discharged patients and their families have also been directed to self-isolate for the required time.

However, Colonel Hughes could not answer if all those on board the flights that landed on Tuesday had been tested for coronavirus.

Emergency workers are exempt from the current 14-day quarantine rules which apply to any arrivals in Tasmania.

“We are not here as a coronavirus response but to re-open and manage the hospital’s ED,” Colonel Hughes said.

“Everybody is pleased we are able to come in to support the state. The NWRH hospital is an important facility and our presence will allow it to again serve the community.”

Australian Defence Force personnel packing their luggage into a bus at Burnie Airport. Picture: PATRICK GEE