Roebourne's community store has received nearly 500 requests for emergency packages as COVID-19 continues to spread in the town as the number of people in isolation rose.
The Ieramugadu Store Maya, a social enterprise which reopened late last year after closing in 2019, swung into action to deliver food and other essential supplies to residents in home isolation.
The predominantly Indigenous community is about 40 kilometres east of Karratha.
Shop manager Debbie Eve said demand for the emergency packages was sky rocketing.
She said one local service provider has asked for more than 400 boxes.
"We've put together a range of household items and basics that would keep a family of four going for about a week, if they're in isolation," she said.
Emergency packages to support locals in isolation
Ieramugadu Store Maya is operated through Ngarluma-Yindjibarndi Foundation's social enterprise arm Garlbagu.
Ms Eve said the store mostly supplied service providers working in the community.
"Packages are purchased either by the Aboriginal corporations in the communities or other service providers and distributed to people," she said.
"Some customers are happy to buy them themselves, if they do we add in a whole load of free items."
Despite being affected by the stock shortages seen across Australia, Ms Eve said the shop has met the demand for packages and has not turned anyone away.
Garlbagu general manager Michael Whittaker said the town needed coordinated help from authorities.
He said the COVID-19 response had so far been led by small, grassroots groups.
"We're a little organisation, and there's so many other little organisations in Roebourne. We're all working together, but it all costs money," he said.
Jessica Bain delivers the Ieramugadu store packages to people at home. She said it was important the community had a local solution to the challenges brought by COVID-19.
"I think it means quite a lot because in Roebourne we haven't had a whole lot of places where they can get support with food, the general store hasn't been open for quite a while."
While Western Australian health authorities have not regularly released exact case numbers, Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the Roebourne outbreak had reached about 30 cases on Wednesday.
On Friday, WA Health reported 85 new cases in the Pilbara.
"It is a significant outbreak, and it's being managed appropriately with the Aboriginal Medical Service, with the WA Country Health Service," Ms Sanderson said.
