Sydney – Mesrena Elyoum
A cancer ward inside a Sydney hospital is undergoing a deep clean after a staff member produced “inconclusive” COVID-19 test results.
The worker at the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is from Fairfield in Sydney’s south-west and was tested as part of new mandatory testing requirements for essential workers in the area.
Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the case was “still under investigation” and follow-up testing is required to determine a conclusive result.
“That work is being done urgently.
We understand some precautionary actions have been taken ahead of getting that outcome resolved,” Dr Chant said.
“I understand that person was picked up as part of surveillance testing or didn’t have any symptoms, but obviously we are working through that issue.
“We will update the community as soon as possible.”
The hospital is undergoing a deep clean and all staff who were in contact with the staff member are now in isolation, a statement from the hospital said.
Worker fully vaccinated
The worker is fully vaccinated and was showing no signs of having COVID-19 before getting tested.
A second worker at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital has tested positive for coronavirus with authorities scrambling to determine where she caught the virus from.
NSW Health confirmed the staff member was fully vaccinated and they are currently isolating at home.
“Urgent investigations into the source of the infection and contact tracing are ongoing, “NSW Health spokesperson said.
They said there has been no further transmission associated with the positive case and the staff member wore full personal protective clothing while working, as did those working alongside them.
“The staff member did not have any symptoms and their infection was picked up due to routine surveillance testing for staff members.”
The new case was included in today’s figures, as was a pregnant woman who underwent surgery at Liverpool Hospital in Sydney’s south-west who has also tested positive for COVID-19.
Dozens of staff have now been forced into strict isolation at the Liverpool site, and the operating theatre has been deep cleaned with non-urgent surgery postponed for the day.
NSW Health confirmed the diagnosis in a statement.
Casual contacts Tested
“All close contacts are being tested for COVID-19 and isolating for 14 days,” it said.
“Casual contacts are also being tested and will self isolate until a negative result is received.”
There are concerns the Fairfield coronavirus cluster will continue to spread into other government areas with calls for more testing facilities to be made available.
Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour said his community were worried the government doesn’t have the resources to cope with the growing outbreak.
“We don’t want to be like Fairfield where we had a schmozzle and I am concerned people in our city, if it was to spill over and see dramatic increases, I am concerned that the government doesn’t have the manpower to man enough testing stations,” Mr Asfour told Today.
Government contingency plan
“They haven’t seemed to be able to prepare for this virus. They have always been one step behind.”
Mr Asfour said the government needs to have a contingency plan in place and have enough staff to cope with the growing number of people who need testing.
More than 58,000 people were tested in the last 24 hours in NSW, with many in Sydney’s southwest prompting praise from the state’s Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
“Can I, in particular, thank the community of south-western Sydney who has responded in an overwhelming way and reduce their mobility,” she said.
“The data is starting to come through. We are so deeply grateful for that.”
NSW has recorded 65 new cases of COVID-19, but Ms Berejiklian has warned the numbers are likely to rise.
Of the new cases, 28 were infectious in the community.
Coronavirus testing lines eased across Sydney’s southwest this morning after workers were left waiting for hours yesterday amid a new three-day testing rule.
The wait in lines in Fairfield dropped from seven hours to just a few minutes, though more cars are starting to turn up as the morning goes on.
The new rule
Workers who need to leave the area must be tested by Saturday under the new rule.
The NSW Health rule also applies to people from Greater Sydney travelling more than 50km outside the area to work, though those people must only get a test once a week.
There will now be three clinics at the Endeavour sports ground, and Mounty’s Club will become a 24-hour clinic from 10am today, with the full list of clinics on the NSW Health website.
Yesterday Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone said the government needs to “come to the party” and provide more resources to help accommodate new testing requirements.
“Not only are they worried about the virus and their families, but they need the resources to support them through this,” Mr Carbone said.