Author:
Niha Maria AV,Draper Anthony DK,Viegas Odete da Silva,de Araujo Rui M,Joao Josefina C,da Silva Endang,Barreto Ismail,Sarmento Nevio,Oakley Tessa,de Neri Machado Filipe,Fancourt Nicholas SS,Marr Ian,dos Santos Fernandes Liliana N,Martins Noemia,Arkell Paul,Tilman Ari JP,Dingle Benjamin,Freitas Carlito C,Bhowmick Partha S,Sheridan Sarah,Howden Benjamin P,Yan Jennifer,Francis Joshua R,Martins Nelson
Abstract
Timor-Leste, a small, mountainous half-island nation which shares a land border with Indonesia and which is 550 km from Australia, has a population of 1.3 million and achieved independence for the second time in 2002. It is one of the poorest nations in Asia. In response to the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Timor-Leste Ministry of Health undertook surveillance and contact tracing activities on all notified COVID-19 cases. Between 1 January 2020 and 30 June 2022, there were 22,957 cases of COVID-19 notified which occurred in three waves, the first which was delayed until April 2021 (community transmission of B.1.466.2 variant following major flooding), followed by waves in August 2021 (B.1.617.2 Delta variant transmission) and February 2022 (B.1.1.529 Omicron variant transmission). There were 753 people hospitalised due to COVID-19 and 133 deaths. Of the 133 deaths, 122 (92%) were considered not fully vaccinated (< 2 COVID-19 vaccines) and none had received boosters. Timor-Leste implemented measures to control COVID-19, including: rapid closure of international borders; isolation of cases; quarantining of international arrivals and close contacts; restrictions on internal travel; social and physical distancing; and, finally, a country-wide vaccination program. The health system’s capacity was never exceeded.
Publisher
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care