Handmade cards welcoming Australian families back to home soil have been delivered to families forced into quarantine in a facility 30 kilometres south of Darwin.
Evacuees from the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan arrived in the Top End capital last week and have passed the halfway point of their 14-day quarantine.
Australian Border Force posted pictures of the cards made by students from the Good Shephard Lutheran College on social media, praising the Northern Territory community.
“The Darwin community’s generosity and support for the Australians in quarantine at Howard Springs has touched all who arrived last week,” the post read.
“Now the centre is preparing for the arrival of the next group of returning Aussies from Japan.”
Source: Aneeta Bhole, SBS
Cards from the students wished those living in the quarantine centre in Howard Springs a comfortable stay and welcomed families home, telling them to “stay positive”.
“I wish you good luck in the future, remember think of the positives, not the negatives… stay strong,” read one card.
“Hope the last week has been comfortable,” read another card.
Source: Aneeta Bhole, SBS
It comes after .
They said not enough information was provided to parents and a lack of consultation left them wary of the evacuees living at the centre.
An information forum was held at the school and the NT Government and Federal Government have maintained that all necessary precautions have been taken to maintain the safety of the community.
“The Northern Territory government is making sure that the health and safety of Territorians comes first but that we also step up when the rest of Australia needs us to,” NT Minister for Health Natasha Fyles said.
“These are grandparents, nans and pops who are caught up with a medical disaster so we’re working with the Federal Government to get these people home but also to make sure our community is safe.”
A passengers is seen on a balcony of the Diamond Princess cruise ship. Source: Getty
About 200 evacuees from the Diamond Princess Cruise ship are preparing to travel to Darwin on Wednesday.
Federal Minister for Health Greg Hunt said that they’ll undergo similar health checks to those who were evacuated from Wuhan.
“Within the first 24 hours but prior to up lift and through the flight home and then on arrival there will be five screenings,” said Minister Hunt.
“One on the ship, carried out in conjuction between Ausmat and Japanese authorities, two on the flight, one at RAAF base centre and one after they arrive at Howard Springs.”
