The risk from PNG, meanwhile, is ever-present. The Torres Strait island of Saibai, which has received some vaccinations, is only a short dinghy ride from PNG.
On Friday, the Queensland government announced five new cases in the state. All involved returned travellers from PNG.
There were 12 active cases in Queensland hospitals involving those from PNG. The total number of cases in Queensland that can be traced back to PNG was 97.
The deputy premier, Steven Miles, said on Friday that the risk to the Torres Strait remained “significant”.
“There are islands in the Torres Strait where you can see PNG from the beaches and where it is very common for people to travel for traditional trade purposes between PNG and Torres Strait islands . so it’s incredibly important that we get as many of those folk that we know are vulnerable vaccinated as quickly as we can,” he said.
Torres Strait faces significant Covid risk from nearby PNG as AstraZeneca vaccine rollout paused msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.