Coronavirus latest: FOUR Melbourne aged care homes in lockdown
Four aged care facilities across Melbourne are currently in lockdown, with residents either testing positive to coronavirus or awaiting further testing.
Yesterday, Villa Maria Aged Care in Bundoora went into lockdown, and today 3AW’s Neil Mitchell has confirmed another three aged care homes in Camberwell, Caulfield and Kilsyth have also been locked down.
It comes as Victoria recorded six new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the state tally to 1573.
There are 1573 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Victoria & sadly 18 deaths. 165 cases may be community transmission. 11 people are in hospital, inc 5 in ICU. 1454 people recovered, >358,000 tests processed. Our message: even if you have mild symptoms, get tested #springst
— Jenny Mikakos MP #StayHomeSaveLives (@JennyMikakos) May 19, 2020
Lynden Aged Care in Camberwell sent a letter to residents’ families yesterday informing them a resident had tested positive to COVID-19.
The aged care home is carrying out testing and tracing of residents and staff today.
The facility is in total lockdown and the wing where the infected resident resides has been isolated.
MiCare Overbeek Lodge in Kilsyth has also gone into lockdown this morning, awaiting test results on a resident who is showing symptoms of coronavirus.
In an email sent to residents’ families, the nursing home said the affected resident is in a stable condition, and the centre is in total lockdown.
Meanwhile, a dementia facility, HammondCare in Caulfield, also went into lockdown yesterday after a resident tested positive to COVID-19.
The resident has been tested a second time and returned a negative result this morning.
The nursing home remains in lockdown as a precaution, while the resident undergoes further testing.
Some staff at the nursing home were tested for COVID-19 yesterday, and more staff are undergoing testing today.
Senior Nurse at HammondCare, Angela Raguz, said the case is being treated as positive.
“We have treated it as positive and have put in place all of our outbreak management plans,” she told Neil Mitchell.
“We need to keep in lockdown.”
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Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen has confirmed the aged care lockdowns.
It comes after another Melbourne aged care home yesterday went into lockdown after a COVID-19 scare.
A resident at Villa Maria Catholic Homes in Bundoora returned an inconclusive test for COVID-19.
The health department is treating inconclusive tests as positive and the aged care home remains in lockdown awaiting further test results.
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