Nauru records first two cases of COVID-19 in quarantine
REPUBLIC OF NAURU
Government Information Office
MEDIA STATEMENT
For Immediate Release
Saturday, 2 April, 2022
Nauru records first two cases
of COVID-19 in quarantine
His Excellency President Lionel
Aingimea announces first two COVID-19 cases in Nauru detected in
quarantine from a passenger flight on 31 March.
The President delivered a public
address today, assuring the community that the two cases are safely
contained in quarantine and that Nauru remains safe and there
is no cause for panic.
Both persons are well and do not
have any symptoms and are being cared for by the medical team at
the negative pressure COVID Ward at the RON Hospital.
Two other persons are also being
quarantined in the COVID Ward. One of them is the spouse of one of
the cases and they had travelled together.
The hospital laboratory has
detected very, very low levels of virus in this person and the
levels appear to be decreasing. The trace amounts of virus material
fall below the threshold and is classified as a negative
result.
The fourth person had a borderline
result yesterday (Friday 1 Apr) and so was also put in isolation at
the Acute Ward. This person has tested negative today but will
remain under observation for now.
Background detail to the current
cases
The two cases both travelled on the
same flight from Brisbane to Nauru on Thursday, 31 March.
As with all passengers on this
flight, they entered pre-travel Safe Accommodation quarantine in
Brisbane on the afternoon of Sunday 27 March. They were all tested
three times whilst in pre-travel Safe Accommodation, where they all
remained until the transfer to the airport on Thursday.
In fact six other cases were
detected earlier in the week and all were removed well before
Thursday and none of them travelled to Nauru.
All passengers who did travel to
Nauru on the Thursday, 31 March flight tested negative all three
times during their pre-travel quarantine.
All passengers were then
transported by the Taskforce to the Brisbane International Airport
to check-in and undergo usual travel procedures.
The Taskforce believes there was a
common exposure contact at Brisbane Airport on Thursday that was
the source for the two confirmed cases we have identified.
It is suspected that many of the
passengers on the flight were exposed to the same COVID-19 source
at Brisbane Airport last Thursday.
Closely monitoring all passengers
from that flight and testing of frontline workers
The Taskforce is closely monitoring
all other passengers from the flight, who all remain in quarantine
at the Budapest Hotel and at Anibare Village.
There will be daily testing of all
these passengers and a possible extension of their quarantine
period will be considered.
The Taskforce has also taken
samples from all frontline workers who worked at the airport on
Thursday and were involved in the transport of the passengers.
With effective procedures in place
to keep physical distance from passengers and all staff well
trained in the use of PPE, we do not expect any of our frontline
workers to be infected, but we want to test and make sure.
Hospital access
The RON Hospital has secured the
area around the COVID Acute Ward and no entry is allowed through
the main gates. The public entry is now via the Emergency
Department.
The Hospital will also start triage
of persons entering the hospital and will begin COVID checks on
persons entering based on symptoms or risk.
These are all precautions and part
of the Hospital's COVID response plan to ensure we contain and
prevent any spread of the virus.
Staff working in Acute Ward and
related workers such as drivers, are being accommodated in
quarantine facilities, purely as a precaution and to allay any
concerns their families may have.
This situation may change and
evolve.
This information is being provided
as the current information right now. Further testing is underway
and results are yet to come.
Ongoing work
The Government, the Taskforce and
our technical experts and health professionals are well on top of
this situation, and full attention is accorded the situation.
The President has assured the
Taskforce that the Government will provide any resource or support
required to ensure a strong response that keeps our community
protected.
It is important for the public to
be kept informed so we can be smart about what we do and act calmly
and sensibly to keep ourselves safe.
Are you fully vaccinated?
Children aged 12-17 years should
have two doses. Adults should have two doses, plus the booster shot
(three total).
The Pfizer vaccine is available for
adult booster shots at Public Health. See your District Health
Worker if you need more information.
Preparations and planning
This situation is not unexpected.
The Taskforce and Health Department have planned and prepared for
this.
For now, the immediate priorities
are:
- ensuring all cases are cared for;
these are our family and friends;
- we contain the virus in
quarantine and ensure no spread to the community; and
- everyone must get their COVID-19
vaccine and make sure they are up to date with all doses.
Wait for official updates and use
official sources of information and follow any further instructions
that may be issued by Government or the Taskforce.
May God Bless you all.
May God Bless Nauru