WA frustrated with repeated ship outbreaks - The Transcontinental

The West Australian government is frustrated with repeated coronavirus outbreaks aboard bulk carriers and is demanding commonwealth help. WA confirmed on Saturday two new COVID-19 diagnoses of crew members on separate bulk carriers. One crewman aboard the Key Integrity docked at Geraldton tested positive while another aboard the Al Messilah offshore at Fremantle is also infected. Outbreak teams have been dispatched to manage the situation alongside port authorities. The Key Integrity set out from the Philippines earlier this month with a fresh crew who all tested negative before boarding, WA Deputy Premier Roger Cook said. The Al Messilah is from the United Arab Emirates. No international crew at any WA port is allowed on shore except for medical care, the government said. "It's important that the commonwealth get off their butts, speak with the Filipino authorities and other authorities around the world to ensure that Western Australia is not continually impacted by these ships with unwell crew," Mr Cook said. WA should not have to keep dealing with such preventable cases, he said. "We can also not have a situation where we shut down our trading economy," Mr Cook said. He assured the WA public that they were not at risk and that WA Health would handle the new outbreaks as it had managed the vessels Artania, Al Kuwait, Patricia Oldendorff and Vega Dream. Mr Cook said NSW health minister Brad Hazzard joined him in calling for the situation to be resolved by the national cabinet. The Al Messilah crew member was only tested as a precaution when taken off the ship for unrelated medical care at Fiona Stanley Hospital, though PPE was worn by staff at all times, Mr Cook said. The crew member is now in hotel quarantine. Crew members from three other vessels were transported in the same bus as the Al Messilah man, prompting the need for public health officials to interview them because there had been "some" interaction. The Key Integrity crewman is isolated in his cabin on the ship. The new cases will be counted as part of the state's Sunday tally. Meanwhile, the WA head of the Australian Medical Association Andrew Miller has criticised the government for failing to be smart with its border policy. "The dumb border has been useful at keeping COVID out of our community but you can't keep a dumb border forever," he said. "You have got to have a border that is fair, that is transparent, where people can make an appeal ... and where we allow people to get on with their business whilst safely testing them, tracing them and being able to isolate them." "We're not up to these stages yet so one has to wonder what has the government been up to for 10 months?" On the idea of a travel bubble with another low-virus state, Dr Miller said there was much preparation needed, such as getting the right PPE for healthcare workers. Asked about a potential bubble with South Australia Roger Cook said his government's hard border had kept West Australians safe. "If we open up our border to South Australia we essentially cede control of our borders to the south Australian government ... and that's not good enough," he said. WA reported two cases earlier on Saturday - both were returned travellers in hotel quarantine. Australian Associated Press

The West Australian government is frustrated with repeated coronavirus outbreaks aboard bulk carriers and is demanding commonwealth help.

WA confirmed on Saturday two new COVID-19 diagnoses of crew members on separate bulk carriers.

One crewman aboard the Key Integrity docked at Geraldton tested positive while another aboard the Al Messilah offshore at Fremantle is also infected.

Outbreak teams have been dispatched to manage the situation alongside port authorities.

The Key Integrity set out from the Philippines earlier this month with a fresh crew who all tested negative before boarding, WA Deputy Premier Roger Cook said. The Al Messilah is from the United Arab Emirates.

No international crew at any WA port is allowed on shore except for medical care, the government said.

"It's important that the commonwealth get off their butts, speak with the Filipino authorities and other authorities around the world to ensure that Western Australia is not continually impacted by these ships with unwell crew," Mr Cook said.

WA should not have to keep dealing with such preventable cases, he said.

"We can also not have a situation where we shut down our trading economy," Mr Cook said.

He assured the WA public that they were not at risk and that WA Health would handle the new outbreaks as it had managed the vessels Artania, Al Kuwait, Patricia Oldendorff and Vega Dream.

Mr Cook said NSW health minister Brad Hazzard joined him in calling for the situation to be resolved by the national cabinet.

The Al Messilah crew member was only tested as a precaution when taken off the ship for unrelated medical care at Fiona Stanley Hospital, though PPE was worn by staff at all times, Mr Cook said. The crew member is now in hotel quarantine.

Crew members from three other vessels were transported in the same bus as the Al Messilah man, prompting the need for public health officials to interview them because there had been "some" interaction.

The Key Integrity crewman is isolated in his cabin on the ship.

The new cases will be counted as part of the state's Sunday tally.

Meanwhile, the WA head of the Australian Medical Association Andrew Miller has criticised the government for failing to be smart with its border policy.

"The dumb border has been useful at keeping COVID out of our community but you can't keep a dumb border forever," he said.

"You have got to have a border that is fair, that is transparent, where people can make an appeal ... and where we allow people to get on with their business whilst safely testing them, tracing them and being able to isolate them."

"We're not up to these stages yet so one has to wonder what has the government been up to for 10 months?"

On the idea of a travel bubble with another low-virus state, Dr Miller said there was much preparation needed, such as getting the right PPE for healthcare workers.

Asked about a potential bubble with South Australia Roger Cook said his government's hard border had kept West Australians safe.

"If we open up our border to South Australia we essentially cede control of our borders to the south Australian government ... and that's not good enough," he said.

WA reported two cases earlier on Saturday - both were returned travellers in hotel quarantine.

Australian Associated Press

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2020-10-17 16:30:32Z
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