1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: Now, we talked about this a couple of weeks ago 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: on the show, after we'd heard from some friends of 3 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 1: the show, will certainly some parents, some players at the 4 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 1: footy that AFL players had been coming down with an 5 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: eye infection, which was put down to playing on muddy 6 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 1: and wet surfaces. Now, the sheer number of players who 7 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,799 Speaker 1: picked up the infection prompted a health alert from authorities, 8 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: and that well, that was that any player who was 9 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 1: suffering from conjunctivitis symptoms should contact the Center for Disease Control. However, 10 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,840 Speaker 1: health authorities still aren't sure what's causing that outbreak. Now 11 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 1: joining us on the line is doctor Barve Ravindron to 12 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: tell us a little bit more. Now, Barve is the 13 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: head of surveillance at the Center for Disease Control. Good 14 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:46,639 Speaker 1: morning to you. 15 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 2: Doctor, Hey Katie, good morning, and thank you for having 16 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 2: me on the show. 17 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: Lovely to have you on the show. Now tell me 18 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: how many players so far are believed to have been 19 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: infected or affected. Yeah, so, I. 20 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 2: Think probably just to highlight that this is quite an 21 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 2: unusual situation that we've identified this year, and certainly we 22 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 2: haven't seen this previously in any of the other seasons 23 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 2: of the AFL and T that's been played in the territory. 24 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 2: At the moment, we're currently sitting at around fifty cases 25 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 2: of people that have contacted the CDC, and these are 26 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,039 Speaker 2: players who have played in the AFL and T matches 27 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 2: as well as reporting some of the symptoms that we've 28 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 2: discussed about, so particularly around redness light sensitivity, but then 29 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 2: also blurred vision and other changes ye other changes there. 30 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 2: At the moment, I'd first sort. 31 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: Of heard about this when I went to my daughter's 32 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: grand final and the parents were talking about it and saying, 33 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,119 Speaker 1: you know, just be really careful if the kids get 34 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: mud in their eyes, make sure that you're flushing them out, 35 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: and had said that there'd been some of our junior 36 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: players impacted. Then as that time went on, we sort 37 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: of learned that there were seniors impacted. And then to 38 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: hear that there's about fifty cases, it's quite a high number, 39 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: isn't it. 40 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's certainly high. And I think, you know, 41 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 2: when we've had high numbers like that, we've certainly implemented 42 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 2: a quite a comprehensive public health response and we've had 43 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 2: a number of people involved, so you know, ourselves at 44 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 2: the Center of Disease Control, our ophthalmology colleagues at the 45 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 2: Royals In Hospital, our environmental health colleagues, you know, as 46 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 2: well as other infectious disease colleagues as well, just to 47 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 2: really understand what's what's going on and what's caused it. 48 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 2: And I think I will have to say we've had 49 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,839 Speaker 2: fantastic support from a lot of these players in terms 50 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 2: of contacting us as well as providing information, so particularly 51 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 2: around match days, their routines where they were, and that 52 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 2: certainly helped helped us paint a bit of a picture 53 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,679 Speaker 2: while we're still waiting for some other testing. But while 54 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 2: we're waiting for some other testing. 55 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, so doctor tell us, I mean, do we know 56 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: exactly what's causing it at the moment or what is 57 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 1: you know with that info? What's it sort of told 58 00:02:59,440 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: you I. 59 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:03,799 Speaker 2: Guess, yeah, So, I mean at the moment was still 60 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 2: a bit unclear about what specific pathogen has been the 61 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 2: cause of this. I think the territory pathology. So that's 62 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 2: the lab here at the hospital have tested, you know, 63 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,359 Speaker 2: for what we typically see for conjunctive artists in terms 64 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 2: of if there's any viral infection going on, and they 65 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 2: haven't found anything, and certainly the presentations you know, if 66 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 2: it was a viral conjunctive artist picture would be seeing 67 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 2: other people in the family affected as well. That doesn't 68 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 2: seem to be the case here at the moment. So again, 69 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 2: you know, it's just really stressing that it is quite 70 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 2: an unusual event and we are really taking a comprehensive 71 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 2: approach and sort of really looking at all avenues to identify, 72 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: you know, again, what the cause of this is. But 73 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 2: also in addition to that, ensure that anyone who has 74 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 2: played football or as any symptoms that we've described so 75 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 2: particularly around like blurred vision or feeling something in your 76 00:03:56,280 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 2: eye to contact CDC to ensure that and an optimologist 77 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 2: or optometrist is able to have a look in their eye. 78 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, and doctor in terms of like once people do 79 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 1: obviously get in contact with a health professional, are you 80 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: finding that you know that antibiotics or whatever the responses 81 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: is working. 82 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 2: Yes, at the moment, like there has been pretty good 83 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 2: responses from a handful of cases. At the moment, we 84 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 2: are collecting information in terms of what was prescribed. I mean, 85 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 2: we are in contact with you know, certainly the optomology 86 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 2: department here has been seeing those cases as well as 87 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 2: following them up as well, you know, once they've prescribed antibiotics. 88 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 2: And I think that's also been helpful in terms of 89 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 2: identifying if there's a particular pathogen or looking at their 90 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 2: response to that. At the moment, I guess, you know, 91 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 2: one of the things that has been somewhat helpful is 92 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 2: that these players are you know, otherwise fit and well, 93 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 2: and they have been responding quite quite well, which has 94 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 2: been good. But certainly anything like this or anything that 95 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 2: we see, you know, we really want to make sure 96 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 2: that people are getting their eyes checked out if they 97 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 2: have any symptoms. 98 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: And I mean I know that there had been some 99 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 1: reports that some players might be suffering from permanent damage, 100 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 1: you know, in the work that you have done. Has 101 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: that been the case or does it seem as though 102 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: this is a temporary thing? 103 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean at the moment, I think it's difficult 104 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 2: to say, given that we haven't identified what the cause is. 105 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 2: But certainly, looking at the certainly looking at the wider literature, 106 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 2: there does to be a pretty good response in terms 107 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 2: of this, and so at the moment we are really 108 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 2: it's really about getting people into the clinics to get 109 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 2: as much data as we can getting people to look 110 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 2: at their eyes. I mean, I guess a lot of 111 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 2: these cases it's still relatively early, you know, in terms 112 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 2: of you know, when they started developing symptoms. But certainly 113 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: we want to make sure that if anyone has any 114 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,840 Speaker 2: symptoms at all, and in particularly played in the AFL 115 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 2: and t that you know, they are able to come 116 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 2: into care. 117 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: Do we know if it's if it's people that have 118 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,359 Speaker 1: only played like on a particular field or only played 119 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 1: at TiO or is it at a number of different 120 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: fields across the top end. 121 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, So when we were first contacted, it was by 122 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 2: one club, and at that stage it did you know, 123 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 2: it was just within that local club, so we were 124 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 2: again suspicious if it was something else. But since you know, 125 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 2: since we've put out the health alert, since we've provided 126 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 2: messaging and we've had a number of optometrists and GPS 127 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 2: call us which is been fantastic, we've identified that there's 128 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 2: been you know, players from multiple different clubs as well. 129 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 2: So we are taking quite a comprehensive approach in terms 130 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 2: of investigating sort of all of that, and so as 131 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:50,159 Speaker 2: part of that, we are doing case interviews in terms 132 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 2: of asking questions and then also having our environmental health 133 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:57,039 Speaker 2: colleagues and as well as looking like understanding the different 134 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:01,239 Speaker 2: grounds to see what's changed this year can to previous years. 135 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:05,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, and doctor, you know, in terms of other people 136 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: that have contracted this sign fiction, has it been like 137 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: junior's young people right up to those senior players, it 138 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: sounds like it's been sort of across the board. 139 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean at the moment, and this is all 140 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 2: based on people who've contacted us. At the moment, it 141 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 2: appears to be mostly senior players, so particularly around the 142 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 2: men's Premier Premier Reserves and then the women's Premiers, and 143 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 2: there has been a handful of other junior cases that 144 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 2: we've identified and people have called us. We are reaching 145 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 2: out in the aising with each of the club's you know, 146 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 2: it's part of the AFL and T and again the 147 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 2: broader ANTFL has also been really helpful in terms of that, 148 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 2: and we'll provide messaging as well. And this is particularly 149 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 2: to make sure that if anyone has any symptoms to 150 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 2: please contact the CDC so we can or you know, 151 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 2: they're optometrists or optomologists so someone can have a look 152 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 2: into their eye. 153 00:07:57,800 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: So I guess that is the advice at this point 154 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: in time, if you are impacted by this, getting contact 155 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: with the CDC, get in contact with your health professional, 156 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: and hopefully, I mean well hopefully as we see the 157 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: seasons come to an end, that you know that maybe 158 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: those numbers decrease. I wonder though, you sort of wonder, 159 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: you know, whether across any of the other sports will 160 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: see any eye in fictions or whether it has literally 161 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: been because they are tackled into you know, into the 162 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: mart a bit more. 163 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think that's a very good question, Katie, 164 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 2: and I think you know, at this stage we still 165 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 2: don't know. I mean a lot of our preliminary analysis. 166 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 2: And again being from Melbourne, AFL is quite a heavy 167 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 2: contact sport and especially in the NT, you know, people 168 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 2: are going tackling again, especially over the final seasons. You know, 169 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 2: players have been playing quite hard there and so it's 170 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 2: been interesting that you know, it's predominantly been around the 171 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 2: AFL players. So you know, it's still been unclear whether 172 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 2: or not, you know, what what makes them a bit 173 00:08:56,400 --> 00:09:00,199 Speaker 2: more susceptible of compared to other players. But again, and 174 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 2: you know, that's information that will continue to gather and 175 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 2: provide further information to the community as we get that too. 176 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, and presumably you know, I'm presuming that you've tested 177 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: like that, you've looked at the soil and everything at 178 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 1: the moment. 179 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, so that's yeah, So as part of our comprehensive 180 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 2: public health approach, we've certainly done that and we're testing 181 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 2: you know, we're testing that at the moment. I'm sure 182 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 2: a lot of people in Darwin know that. You know, 183 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 2: we've we've got quite a lot in the soil and 184 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 2: particularly in the tropics here at the moment. So yeah, 185 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 2: it's really important we sort of ruling out anything that 186 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 2: we've we've found and again, it's been quite a collegiate 187 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:40,959 Speaker 2: and comprehensive approach that we've taken. 188 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,839 Speaker 1: Yeah, I bet Look, I'm quite fascinated by it. And 189 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:47,320 Speaker 1: I know that we'd as we were arriving for the 190 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 1: Grand Final, there was a discussion, you know, amongst some 191 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: of the junior teams where it was like, just be 192 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: cautious some of the you know, some people have had 193 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:57,200 Speaker 1: eye infections, and so i'd ask the Chief Health officer 194 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 1: about a couple of weeks ago, last week, you know, 195 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 1: whether we needed to be flushing you know, people's eyes 196 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: out with water when we're there and and hope, you know, 197 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: hopefully you're able to work out what's causing it. And yeah, 198 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: there's no you know, no ongoing impacts for people. 199 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,199 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, And I think, as you know, as part 200 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 2: of this messaging as well as a health alerts, it's 201 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 2: really to make sure that we're capturing as many people 202 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:24,839 Speaker 2: who may have had symptoms and played in the NT 203 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 2: so they can at least you have a look at 204 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 2: their eyes and make sure that's being checked out. It's 205 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 2: probably the first thing. And then the second thing, certainly 206 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 2: from our perspective, is to really analyze and get that 207 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 2: data to understand what's potentially caused this and again see 208 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 2: what other messaging we can do for future seasons or 209 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:45,080 Speaker 2: for other sports in the NT. Yeah. 210 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: Well, I really appreciate your time this morning. Head of 211 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: Surveillance at the Center for Disease Control, doctor Barbie Ravendron, 212 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: thank you so much for your time. 213 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:57,559 Speaker 2: Great, Thank you, Katie, thank you, thanks 214 00:10:57,559 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: So much, you too, Thank you.