NT health authorities reassure Territorians after US marine tests positive to coronavirus – ABC News

The news that a US marine has tested positive for coronavirus on Friday in the Northern Territory has had health authorities scrambling to reassure Territorians that the “risks are low” for the community.
Key points:

• NT health authorities said they were confident any cases among US military staff could be contained
• The US Military said American Navy medical staff would help in treating any cases linked to the marine force
• The latest wave of coronavirus tests for the US marines in Darwin had provided “initial negative results”

The Northern Territory’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Hugh Heggie, said authorities had expected it was likely “risky” arrivals from the US could be carrying the virus before they had arrived in the country.
“Cases of coronavirus particularly in some parts of the world including the Americas is really very high so there was always going to be a risk that there would be more risk of this,” he said on Friday.
“I think it is possible that this could have been acquired before they travelled but been asymptomatic and possibly even a negative test and that’s the reality,” Dr Heggie said.
The soldier was part of the annual Marine Rotational Forces hosted in the NT, after Australia’s Defence Minister Linda Reynolds approved plans in May this year for a reduced contingent to visit the country.
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The original rotation of about 2,500 marines was postponed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, and reduced to a force of 1,200 to arrive in a staggered deployment.
As part of that plan, all US marine arrivals have been subject to a two-week quarantine period at an Australian Defence Force facility in Darwin.
The NT Health Minister said the marine had arrived in the Northern Territory on July 8 and disembarked through the military side of Darwin Airport.
The minister said the marine had “very, very minimal contact”, if at all, with any locals within the NT.
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Dr Hugh Heggie said people in the NT should be reassured that the local health system was ready to deal with further cases of coronavirus.(ABC News: Alan Dowler)
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NT authorities, ADF, confident military case can be ‘contained’
Dr Hugh Heggie said US military personnel would be “contained within their own groups” while they stayed in the NT, meaning there would be little impact on the NT’s health system.
“They have medical services and others that can assist them so it’s not a burden on Territorians or on our health system and they have good plans,” Dr Heggie said.
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In a statement, the Australian Defence Force reassured the public that there had been “no direct contact” with the general community.
“Due to the strict procedures put in place before the arrival of the marines, the marine has had no direct contact with the general community,” the statement said.
“All US personnel who arrived with the US marine and may have interacted with the individual will continue to be monitored during their mandatory 14-day quarantine.”
“As per the established protocols, all US personnel will be tested again prior to leaving quarantine,” the ADF said.
The US Military said American Navy staff would be involved in treating the man and that the latest wave of testing had all received initial negative results.
“Medical specialists will continue to monitor the health and safety of all marines,” a spokesperson said from the US Marine Rotational Force Darwin (MRFD)
“All low dependency cases will be transferred to Howard Springs for the duration of their illness. Should the condition of any marine become serious, they will be safely taken to Royal Darwin Hospital,” the spokesperson said.
There are two cases of coronavirus in the NT, after a Darwin man in his 30s tested positive after travelling from Melbourne via Brisbane.
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