A leaked letter from a respected Aboriginal organisation has labelled the COVID response in far western NSW as “chaotic” and says mistakes are “mounting”. COVID19NSW
New quarantine facilities are being urgently considered in far western NSW after a well-respected Aboriginal health organisation described the COVID-19 outbreak in Wilcannia as a “humanitarian crisis” and demanded action be taken to fix the “chaotic” response to the situation.
The scathing letter outlines problems with the NSW and federal government response to the outbreak, saying it’s been ill-prepared, slow and substandard. “Positive COVID-19 patients are still being forced into overcrowded accommodation with people who have yet to contract [the virus] . This would only – and has only – occurred in Aboriginal communities,” the letter said.NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard acknowledged the issues with overcrowded housing, and said he was working to set up isolation facilities.
The organisation said it had written to the federal government in March 2020 warning of the potential for a crisis like the one unfolding, and urged them to finally act on its advice.
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