People who contract Ebola in the Pacific islands could be flown into Australia for treatment, the country’s health minister announced recently.
Australia will be not be flying its own citizens in from Africa if they contract the virus because there are serious doubts as to whether an infected person could survive the 30-hour flight. But problems closer to home would prompt a response.
“If we need to fly people back to Australia for medical attention we can do that very quickly if we could not provide support for them adequately in [their own] country,” health minister Peter Dutton told radio station 3AW.
In such a scenario infected patients would most likely be flown to Darwin for treatment. But Dutton noted that such a scenario would be a last resort.
“China or Japan have their own well and truly developed plans but if you’re talking about a Pacific island nation there is an obligation [on] us,” Dutton said, citing Papua New Guinea as an example.
11 people have tested negative for Ebola in Australia. None have been tested in the Pacific islands, according to reports.
Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek agreed that Australia should help efforts against the virus, with perhaps a different timeline idea in mind.
