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 Tonga, hit by a massive volcanic eruption and a tsunami on Jan. 15,
has asked for aid https://www.reuters.com/world/world-rushes-aid-tsunami-hit-tonga-drinking-water-food-runs-short-2022-01-20
to be delivered without human contact amid concerns a COVID outbreak
would be devastating for the tiny Pacific island nation.
Australia's Defence Minister Peter Dutton said 23 personnel aboard
the HMAS Adelaide have tested positive for COVID. The ship, with a
crew of about 600, left Brisbane on Friday carrying large quantities
of humanitarian aid and medical supplies, helicopters and water
purification equipment, as well as an Australian Army engineer
contingent.
The ship is due to arrive in Tonga early on Wednesday, the
department of defence said.
"We will work with the Tongan authorities to keep that vessel at sea
to make sure there is no threat and obviously the Tongan government
is discussing that at the moment," Dutton said on broadcaster Sky
News.
"Obviously they need the aid desperately but they don't want the
risk of COVID."
In a later statement, the defence department said HMAS Adelaide
would continue her mission, and ensure the aid was delivered in a
COVID-safe manner.
"The positive COVID cases, and close contacts, are being isolated,"
a defence statement said, adding the ship had medical facilities
including a 40-bed hospital with critical care ward, and COVID
testing capabilities.
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 All crew had been vaccinated and the 23 positive
COVID cases were showing no or mild symptoms, it
said. Aid flights from Australia
and New Zealand arrived in Tonga last week with essential supplies,
but the transfer of goods was done in a contactless way. One
Australian aid flight was forced to return to base when a COVID-19
case was detected mid-flight. A New Zealand aid
vessel landed last week and more aid is en route by air and sea from
New Zealand, Japan and Britain.
The United Nations, Red Cross and other relief agencies on the
ground in Tonga have warned that a COVID-19 outbreak in the island
would be catastrophic at this time.
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption https://graphics.reuters.com/TONGA-VOLCANO/lgpdwjyqbvo
triggered a tsunami that destroyed villages and resorts and knocked
out communications for the nation of about 105,000 people. Three
people have been reported killed, authorities said.
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney and Praveen Menon in
Wellington; Editing by Michael Perry and Kenneth Maxwell)
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