In today's update, Minister for Health Isabella Dageago says
Nauru's 'Capture & Contain' strategy continues to keep Nauru
free of COVID-19.
Nauru's arrival testing procedures for crew on shipping vessels
has identified one member of crew on the landing craft, Kiwai
Chief, with a positive COVID test result.
Our maritime border protocols require several measures for
arriving ships, including minimum quarantine periods at sea and
testing all persons on board before they are allowed to undertake
contact operations on Nauru. Regardless and where possible, ships
operate a no-contact procedure in Nauru.
The landing craft Kiwai Chief arrived in Nauru waters on the
10th of December having spent 10 days at sea and continued to drift
off Nauru to complete 14 days at sea as per our maritime border
protocols.
This positive COVID result was identified late yesterday,
Tuesday 14th of December. The crew member is well and has had no
symptoms.
This vessel has been in quarantine at sea for the last 14 days
and there has been no unprotected contact with anyone on Nauru.
With the ship's logs and arrival declarations supplied to the
Taskforce and Health Department, it appears likely that this is a
historical case with the original source of infection probably
originating a few weeks ago when the vessel was in Lae, Papua New
Guinea as they set sail to Brisbane Australia where the Kiwai Chief
picked up heavy machinery destined for Nauru.
The lab results show the crew member has very low levels of
virus, suggesting that his infection likely started some time ago
and that he is likely no longer contagious. The crew member is also
fully vaccinated which may also explain why the test result was so
weak and further reinforces that it is unlikely that the crew
member is still contagious.
The Nauru COVID Taskforce discussed the findings and despite the
very low risk from this case, and with an abundance of caution, the
Taskforce has advised the Kiwai Chief to drift and quarantine at
sea for a further period. The crew will be reassessed and tested
before any contact procedures will be able to be undertaken in
port.
In accordance with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, a
person who tests positive to COVID, is cleared and safe to leave
isolation and carry on normal activities if they have been well and
have had no COVID symptoms for 10 days.
In the meantime the Taskforce will reassess the current
situation and if safe and practical, a strict no-contact unloading
procedure may be considered, ensuring there is no risk of COVID
entering Nauru.
This is a case we have identified at the border before entry to
Nauru. This case remains on a vessel, and has not been in
Nauru.
As other countries have started relaxing some border
restrictions we need to expect and not be surprised if we begin to
catch more cases on our border. However, if we either continue to
contain these cases at the border, or ensure we have everyone
protected by vaccination, including our children, then we should no
longer fear cases being picked up at the border. In fact, we should
feel safe and confident that the capture and contain strategy is
working.
The Taskforce and Public Health teams will monitor and provide
updates as needed.
May God continue to bless and protect Nauru. ENDS///