Tag Archives: oceania

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'Vast majority' of 21 new cases in Dubbo are Aboriginal children

There are major concerns in western New South Wales as 21 new coronavirus cases have been recorded in the region.

Of these cases most are in Aboriginal children, one of whom has been admitted to hospital.

"We know that the vast majority of our cases in Dubbo and across the western NSW are Aboriginal, and we know also the vast majority of our cases are also children," Western NSW Local Health District CEO, Scott McLachlan said today.

READ MORE: NSW records 415 cases, four deaths on first full day of statewide lockdown

EXPLAINED: What you need to know about the new restrictions across NSW and Greater Sydney

"We sadly have one admission to hospital overnight in a child."

There are 63 active cases in the region – 59 in Dubbo and four in Walgett.

Two additional cases have been detected in Mudgee overnight and will be included in tomorrow's figures.

Brendon Cutmore, Western NSW Local Health District Director of Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing, said there are a number of support systems are in place.

He explained Cultural Cases Support Teams are helping homes with food and medical resources, and Social and Emotional Wellbeing Aboriginal Mental Health Clinicians have been enlisted.

Brendon Cutmore, Western NSW Local Health District Director of Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing. Dubbo coronavirus outbreak

"Please don't be too proud in terms of reaching out and asking for help at the moment," Mr Cutmore said.

For people who can't reach testing clinics, there is an Aboriginal mobile clinic, but he said the most important thing is for people to stay in their own homes.

"Right now, through any crisis, normally our community response and our family response is that we gather together, and we normally share our resources, and we normally take care of each other in the way of pulling everybody together you know at nan and pops' house, or at aunty and uncles' home, but right now we've got to do this in a very different way," Mr Cutmore said.

"I really need to encourage everybody to stay in their home.

"Don't go down to nan and pops' house or to aunty and uncles' house to drop anything off to people or to check in. Use the phone, send a text, and if you're really worried contact us and we'll ensure the support services reach out to help your family.

"Right now the way that we stop this spread is that we stay in our own houses."

Mr Cutmore said the community needs to protect young children as well as the elderly.

Western NSW Local Health District CEO, Scott McLachlan, said the situation is likely to worsen in the coming days. Dubbo coronavirus outbreak

"This is a situation that will continue to grow," Western NSW Local Health District CEO, Scott McLachlan warned.

"Those numbers will continue to increase in the next 24 hours again.

"Please stay at home, protect yourself, wear maks wherever possible outside of the house, socially distance, use your hand hygiene, and if you do need to go out make sure you check in to the facilities with your QR code.

"And please, take care of each other, this is time for us to all come together, show some love and appreciation for our communities."

There are 36 venues of concern across the Dubbo region – 15 of those are close contact exposure sites. You can see them here, on the NSW Health website

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One million doses of Pfizer vaccine arriving from Poland

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced that a further one million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been secured from Europe and are currently en route to Australia.

Of those, half will be distributed directly to NSW.

The extra doses will be rolled out from as early as next week.

READ MORE: Australia's newest vaccine is almost here: What you need to know

"Indeed, there is more than a million doses of hope on its way," Mr Morrison said.

"Earlier today, a plane left Dubai, having left Warsaw last night.

"We have been in discussions with the Polish government now for several weeks, and we have secured over an additional one million doses of Pfizer, which will start landing in Australia from tonight."

The new doses are on top of the 40 million Pfizer doses that Australia has already contracted to be delivered.

"And of course, we will be ramping up again significantly in the fourth quarter of this year," he said.

"These one million doses, will give hope to people right across the country, particularly in New South Wales where they are fighting this Delta strain in the most significant battle we have had in this country during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic up until now."

READ MORE: Victoria's bold vaccine plan to get 'a million jabs into a million arms'

New Pfizer doses specifically targeted for younger Australians

Mr Morrison said the newly secured doses will be targeted toward 20 to 39-year-olds.

"The one million doses, I have discussed this with the New South Wales Premier yesterday, will be targeted to Australians aged 20 to 39 years of age," he said.

"Who were identified in the Doherty modelling as peak transmitters of COVID-19.

"Some of those doses will be prioritised for express delivery to the 12 government areas where the COVID-19 outbreak continues to grow.

"This allocation is based directly on the advice I received from the chief medical officer, Professor Kelly."

READ MORE: South Australia offer Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines to over 16s

Students wait to receive the Pfizer vaccine for Covid-19 at Judos Arena, Sydney.

Jabs to be divided among states on 'per capita' basis

Mr Morrison said that NSW will receive 530,000 doses of the jab, while the remainder will be divided up among the states on a per capita basis.

"The balance of the doses will be provided to the remaining states and territories on a per capita basis," he said.

"Not including New South Wales of course, because they would have received the first 530,000 doses.

"The first touchdown will be in Australia tonight, and in the coming days we will see these jabs, they will start coming into the arms of Australians in the course of this week."

READ MORE: NSW Health launches 'Tradie Sunday'

Staff preparing Pfizer vaccine doses inside the Melbourne Showgrounds COVID-19 Vaccination Centre.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne has offered thanks the Polish authorities for allowing the extra Pfizer doses to be sent to our shores.

"I want to join the Prime Minister in welcoming the decision to provide one million vaccines to Australia, and offer my personal thanks to Foreign Minister Rau…and of course Australia's ambassador in Poland, Lloyd Broderick," she said.

"This is an arrangement which demonstrates, as the Prime Minister said, how a diplomatic capability is able to deliver in ways which continue to protect Australians."