A second worker has tested positive to COVID in the Pilbara, sparking fears for the region which has relatively low vaccination rates.

More than 70 workers at the Yandi iron ore mine site, north-east of Newman, were sent into isolation over the weekend after one case was detected. On Tuesday a second contractor, also a member of a BHP rail ream, tested positive.

Mid-January, 52.7% of Pilbara residents over 12 had received two doses of a COVID vaccine. More troubling; only 59.5% had received at least one dose, meaning 40.5% of Pilbara residents had no vaccine protection against the coronavirus.

A Western Australian Health Department spokesperson told the National Indigenous Times that travel "to most remote Aboriginal communities" remains restricted, and "targeted efforts" are increasing the region's vaccination rate.

"[These] include the recent 'Maxi Vaxi' mobile vaccination tour of the Pilbara and the Keeping Culture Safe and Strong: Vaccination Focus program," they said.

"WA Health and WA Police teams are engaging with communities at the grass roots, talking face to face and one on one with people and including house to house visits and offering vaccinations to hospital inpatients and outpatients.

"Local community stakeholders such as health staff, the local police, local shires and Aboriginal lead organisations are also yarning to community members and continue to help them with access to vaccinations."

While travel restrictions remain in place, the State Government "is working with remote Aboriginal communities to develop localised pandemic action plans."

"These plans will help ensure communities are safe and can respond to a coronavirus outbreak. They are being developed in partnership with community leaders and are based on the Western Australian Government Pandemic Plan," they said.

Last month Senator for Western Australia and Yamatji-Noongar woman Dorinda Cox told the National Indigenous Times supply and vaccine hesitancy were ongoing problems in the region.

She said one factor driving the low vaccination rate was a lack of "investment in local community solutions to vaccine hesitancy."

Yesterday a BHP spokeswoman said the second COVID case from the site was a close contact of the initial positive case, and has been in isolation since Sunday.

The spokeswoman told the ABC that the health and wellbeing of BHP's workers was its top priority, and everyone impacted was being fully supported during their isolation period.

By Giovanni Torre