Coronavirus: Why are Australia's remote Aboriginal communities at risk?
Indigenous Australians often live in overcrowded conditions, making self-isolation difficult
For over a week, some of Australia's remote Aboriginal communities have been severely restricting visitors - to try to keep out the Covid-19 virus. Now the government is using its Biosecurity Act to bring in these limitations to such places across the country.About 120,000 people live in remote communities. They are home to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - often referred to as First Nation people or Indigenous Australians.
Predominantly in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Far North Queensland, some communities are several hours' drive from towns - partly down unpaved roads - and are about as isolated as you could imagine.So far, no. While confirmed Covid-19 cases are rising sharply in Australia, they have been concentrated in the metropolitan areas - with no reports of cases in remote communities.
Joe Martin-Jard, the chief executive of the Central Land Council - which represents Aboriginal people in central Australia - has called for"urgent and drastic action" to keep communities virus-free. The government's measures, announced on Friday, appear to be just that.People with underlying medical conditions are known to be at greater risk from Covid-19 - and diabetes and renal failure are more prevalent among Indigenous Australians than the general population.
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