The ACT recorded 19 new locally-acquired cases of COVID-19 today, with several cases linked to Calvary Haydon Retirement Community in Canberra’s northern suburbs after a nurse tested positive for the virus earlier this week.
All but six of the newly confirmed cases were infectious within the community for some period of time, ACT Chief Health Officer, Kerryn Coleman said today.
Dr Coleman said two of the latest cases had been linked to the retirement home – both are staff members who were fully vaccinated and wearing full PPE while at work in the facility.
And, worringly, more cases from the facility will be revealed in tomorrow’s case figures, she said.
“Not included in today’s numbers are several additional cases that we have been notified about overnight.”
“We are working very closely with Calvary, who are communicating directly with residents and their families regarding the outbreak.”
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the infected staff member had followed all appropriate protocols.
“We absolutely understand that this is distressing news for families and residents in the care of Calvary Hayden, but residents have been informed about this and the actions taken by Calvary to respond,” she said.
“The staff member themselves did everything right, they were unknowingly potentially infectious when coming to work, but they were wearing protective equipment.
“They weren’t symptomatic, and as soon as they developed symptoms they went and got tested.”
The facility has been locked down since the first case was revealed and would remain in lockdown, the health minister said.
“Residents will be kept safe in their rooms and provided with their usual care, with some changes under the outbreak conditions to ensure that their isolation is maintained.”
“All of our aged-care facilities are very well-prepared for an outbreak and Calvary has responded really quickly to this one, including providing information to families about what is happening on site,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.
There are currently 12 COVID patients in Territory hospitals – three are in intensive care units and two are on ventilators.
In some promising news for the ACT, Chief Minister, Andrew Barr today confirmed that 57.5% of Canberrans were now fully vaccinated, and 83.5 had received a first vaccine dose.
There are currently 217 active cases in the ACT.
