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‘Absolutely horrifying’: Surge in Indigenous COVID cases in Hunter region ‘staggering’, says Dr Kelvin Kong
Australia’s first Aboriginal surgeon says the rise in COVID-19 cases among Aboriginal people in the Hunter region is “staggering”.
According to Hunter New England Health, the proportion of Indigenous people among virus cases has risen from one per cent to 20 per cent this week.
It says three out of five Aboriginal people with coronavirus in the local health district are aged under 25.
At least 60 Indigenous people in the Hunter have caught the virus this week.
Worimi surgeon and Newcastle University associate professor Dr Kelvin Kong said he was shocked at the sudden surge in cases.
“It’s absolutely horrifying and (I’m) quite scared to be truthful,” he said.
“That’s such a staggering increase — a 400 per cent increase in COVID cases
Dr Kong urged people to get vaccinated.
“We still must follow the public health orders, remembering that we must look after our aunties and uncles,” he said.
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