A Sydney hospital has been forced to ban all visitors until Friday as health authorities try to stem a COVID outbreak among workers.
Six health care workers have now been linked to the latest outbreak in Western Sydney as New South Wales health authorities work to uncover the source of infection.
Concord Hospital has closed its doors to all visitors until Friday after multiple staff members tested positive to coronavirus. Picture: Jonathan NgSource:News Corp Australia
Concord Hospital has closed its doors to all visitors until 10am on Friday after multiple staff members tested positive to coronavirus.
Sydney Local Health District said in a statement shared to social media all staff who had so far tested positive were in isolation, while those identified as contacts are being tested and also isolating at home for 14 days.
More than 100 staff are believed to be in isolation, and the hospital will undergo a deep clean while its doors are closed
There are seven cases associated with the Concord and Liverpool hospitals, and health authorities believe the virus may have been spread through a surface, as staff were wearing masks.
There are now seven confirmed coronavirus cases between Liverpool Hospital (pictured) and Concord Hospital, and more than 100 staff are in isolation. Picture: Google MapsSource:Supplied
Premier Gladys Berejiklian told Today there was a risk with every new case, but the suspected method of transmission in the hospitals made this cluster particularly concerning.
“I am always concerned about those cases, because every case can blow out if you don‘t contact trace and isolate,” she said.
“But what is concerning about the Concord Hospital example is that health are still doing discussions but they suspect that this is a case where someone has picked it up from a surface, because everybody who got it was wearing a mask and full PPE.
“This is really contagious … whilst the pandemic is around and until we have a vaccine, all of us have to be cautious and assume we have got it or that people we are interacting with have it as well.”
SLHD said all staff still working on aged care wards at Concord Hospital aere now wearing full personal protective equipment – gowns, gloves, masks and googles, to minimise the risk to patients.
“There is no evidence that there is ongoing risk in the hospital, and patients should continue to attend for any medical care needed,” the statement read.
Patients will be able to speak to their loved ones via phone or video calls, which the hospital will help to arrange.
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SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com/news/sydney-hospital-closed-to-public-amid-covid-outbreak/?remotepost=261718
