DILI, 26 March 2020 (TATOLI) – Workers returning home from Australia’s Seasonal Worker Program to Timor-Leste have been transferred to two weeks of mandatory quarantine in Dili.
18 men and 16 women flew in from Darwin on Wednesday morning. The Ministry of Health (MS) transferred them to the National Public Administration Institute (INAP) in Comoro for the 14-day stay.
The on-duty doctor at the Nicolau Lobato International Airport, Lisete Vong Pereira, said the group did not exhibit any symptoms of Covid-19 when passing through the thermal scanner.
“The passengers this morning all had good symptoms, no signs of illness, but they must go to quarantine,” Dr Pereira said.
It was not clear if all the incoming passengers would be tested for Covid-19.
Timor-Leste has registered only one confirmed case of the virus – a foreign national with recent travel history overseas.
However, the number of people infected with Covid-19 in Australia is increasing substantially each day, with 2,800 people now testing positive across all states and territories. 13 people have died from the disease as of Friday, according to the country’s Health Ministry.
We will take care of them: Clarinha
Director-General of Disease Control at MS, Josefina Clarinha João, said the INAP site in Comoro has 20 fully-furnished rooms which can hold two people per unit.
It was set up, she said, because the existing quarantine sites – the Novo Horizonte and Audian Hotels, and Tibar – were running out of space.
A further 12 SWP workers were taken to the Novo Horizonte. Yesterday, TATOLI reported the alarm of some of the 102 residents there, who are worried the lack of social distancing and unsanitary conditions could help spread any potential case of the virus.
But Josefina Clarinha João assured the residents all detection facilities are adequate.
“We have doctors and medical teams to test all passengers from abroad who are currently in quarantine,” she added.
Related news: Fears Covid-19 Quarantine Site Could Actually Help Spread the Virus
Dr Clarinha also confirmed the ministry would ensure people in quarantine would be fed throughout their stay, amid complaints from some at Novo Horizonte.
“If the government prepares the place for quarantine, of course the government will prepare the food for them during the 14 days in quarantine,” she said.
Related news: Police Fire Teargas at Crowd at Coronavirus Quarantine Site
TATOLI has observed the Metiaut site and confirmed officers from the National Police of Timor-Leste guarding to the Novo Horizonte Hotel. The hotel, as well as the Tibar quarantine facility, have been the site of angry protests by locals.
A total of 629 people are now in Covid-19 quarantine, including self-quarantine, the Ministry of Health said. A further 185 people have already completed their 14 day stretch.
Journalists: Cipriano Colo, Felicidade Ximenes, Nelia Borges, Zezito da Silva
Editors: Andrew Kaminsky, Robert Baird, Cancio Ximenes, Agapito dos Santos
Translation: Nelia Borges
