COVID-19 pandemic in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
{{Short description|Part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019}}
{{Infobox outbreak
| name = COVID-19 pandemic in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
| map1 = 250px
| disease = COVID-19
| virus_strain = SARS-CoV-2
| location = Cocos (Keeling) Islands
| arrival_date = 19 March 2022
| confirmed_cases = 242
| recovery_cases = 236
| deaths = 0
| website = https://indianoceanterritories.com.au/news/
}}
The COVID-19 pandemic in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have reached the Cocos (Keeling) Islands on 19 March 2022.{{cite web |last1=Griggs |first1=Natasha |title=COVID-19 Update for Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Residents - 19 March 2022 |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=964804624238107&set=a.764120604306511 |website=Facebook |access-date=20 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320010658/https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=964804624238107&set=a.764120604306511 |archive-date=20 March 2022 |date=19 March 2022 |url-status=live}}
Background
On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.{{Cite web |last=Elsevier |title=Novel Coronavirus Information Center |url=https://www.elsevier.com/connect/coronavirus-information-center |access-date=10 November 2021 |publisher=Elsevier |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309185405/https://www.elsevier.com/connect/coronavirus-information-center|archive-date=9 March 2022|url-status=live}}
The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,{{Cite web |last=O'Hare |first=Ryan |title=Crunching the numbers for coronavirus |date=13 March 2020 |url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/196137/crunching-numbers-coronavirus/ |access-date=8 January 2022 |publisher=Imperial College London |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308195811/https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/196137/crunching-numbers-coronavirus/|archive-date=8 March 2022|url-status=live}} but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.{{Cite web |date=25 June 2020|title=Coronavirus - guidance for anaesthesia and perioperative care providers |url=https://wfsahq.org/news/latest-news/coronavirus-guidance-for-anaesthesia-and-perioperative-care-providers/ |access-date=14 March 2022|publisher=World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists |language=en-GB |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308195557/https://wfsahq.org/news/latest-news/coronavirus-guidance-for-anaesthesia-and-perioperative-care-providers/|archive-date=8 March 2022|url-status=live}}
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands along with Christmas Island constitute the Australian Indian Ocean Territories. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands were formerly part of the Straits Settlements until they were transferred to Australia during the 1950s. As Australian dependencies, they are not self-governing but do have their own local government.{{cite web |title=10. External territories |url=https://www.alrc.gov.au/publication/legal-risk-in-international-transactions-alrc-report-80/10-external-territories/ |publisher=Australian Law Reform Commission |access-date=20 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119042145/https://www.alrc.gov.au/publication/legal-risk-in-international-transactions-alrc-report-80/10-external-territories/ |archive-date=19 January 2022 |date=15 July 2010 |url-status=live}}
Timeline
=March 2022=
On 19 March 2022, the territory reported its first case of COVID-19.
On 21 March, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands reported one new case, bringing the total number of cases to two.{{cite web |title=COVID-19 Update for Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Residents - 21 March 2022 |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=966316894086880&set=a.764120590973179 |publisher=Facebook |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324094645/https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=966316894086880&set=a.764120590973179 |archive-date=24 March 2022 |date=21 March 2022 |url-status=live}}
On 26 March, one of the two positive cases recovered.{{cite web |last1=Griggs |first1=Natasha |title=COVID-19 Daily Update for Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands - 26 March 2022 |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=969837260401510&set=a.969168050468431 |publisher=Facebook |access-date=5 April 2022 |date=26 March 2022 }}
On 29 March, the second remaining positive case recovered from COVID-19.{{cite web |title=COVID-19 Daily Update for Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands - 29 March 2022 |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=972088136843089&set=a.969168050468431 |publisher=Facebook |access-date=5 April 2022 |date=29 March 2022 }}
=April 2022=
On 1 April, one new case was reported, bringing the total number of cases to three.{{cite web |title=COVID-19 Daily Update for Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands - 1 April 2022 |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=974108876641015&set=a.969168050468431 |publisher=Facebook |access-date=5 April 2022 |date=1 April 2022 }}
On 3 April, Administrator Natasha Griggs identified Pondok Indah and the Home Island House as casual exposure sites in the island territory.{{cite web |title=Cocos (Keeling) Islands - Exposure Sites |url=https://www.facebook.com/1964529427189421/posts/975178969867339 |publisher=Facebook |access-date=5 April 2022 |date=3 April 2022 }} That same day, Griggs identified the Shire of Cocos Keeling Islands Home Island Office as another casual exposure site.{{cite web |title=Attention Cocos residents - New Exposure Site - 3 April 2022 |url=https://www.facebook.com/1964529427189421/posts/975706663147903 |publisher=Facebook |access-date=5 April 2022 |date=3 April 2022 }}
See also
References
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{{COVID-19 pandemic}}
{{COVID-19 pandemic in Australia}}