Friday, 19 August 2022
Meet the JournalistsPremiumAucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelCapital Markets
Politics
Premium SportRugbyCricketRacingNetballBoxingLeagueFootballSuper RugbyAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican SportsHockeyUFC
NZH Local FocusThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay of Plenty TimesHawke's Bay TodayRotorua Daily PostWhanganui ChronicleStratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu Courier
Covid-19
Te Rito
Te Rito
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
Open JusticeVideoPodcastsTechnologyWorldOpinion
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
Fashion & BeautyFood & DrinkRoyalsRelationshipsWellbeingPets & AnimalsVivaCanvasEat WellCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Our Green FutureRuralOneRoof Property
Career AdviceCorporate News
Driven MotoringPhotos
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
Classifieds
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
World

Covid 19 coronavirus: Victoria outbreak hits alarming new at-risk group

9 Jul, 2020 06:15 PM4 minutes to read
A worker in personal protective equipment takes breather at the Flemington Tower Public Housing Complex. Photo / Darrian Traynor, Getty Images

A worker in personal protective equipment takes breather at the Flemington Tower Public Housing Complex. Photo / Darrian Traynor, Getty Images

NZ Herald
By Charis Chang

While there's been a focus on the spread of the coronavirus in public housing towers and hotel quarantine in Victoria, concerns have also been raised about another area where cases look to be rising.

University of NSW Professor Mary-Louise McLaws, is a member of a World Health Organisation (WHO) advisory panel on Covid-19, and told news.com.au that increasing cases among healthcare providers in Victoria should be watched.

Read More

  • Covid 19 coronavirus: What New Zealand can learn from Melbourne's outbreak - NZ Herald
  • Covid 19 coronavirus: New South Wales shuts border with Victoria - NZ Herald
  • Covid 19 coronavirus: Active cases in Victoria increase by 2000 per cent in a month - NZ Herald
  • Coronavirus: Victoria St Countdown accidentally reopened day after Covid-19 case visit - NZ Herald

In the past few weeks there have been handfuls of cases here and there, including 11 people linked to the Northern Hospital in Epping. Healthcare workers have tested positive at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Sunshine Hospital emergency department, the Alfred Hospital and the Joan Kirner Women's and Children's Hospital.

On Wednesday, four cases were identified at Brunswick Private Hospital and a doctor at St Vincent's Hospital also tested positive.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
Workersat the Flemington Tower Public Housing Complex on July 09, 2020 in Melbourne. Photo / Darrian Traynor, Getty Images
Workersat the Flemington Tower Public Housing Complex on July 09, 2020 in Melbourne. Photo / Darrian Traynor, Getty Images

Yesterday among the 165 new cases, there were two cases identified among Sunshine Hospital emergency department workers, another two at Royal Melbourne Hospital and a further case at Northern Hospital.

More than a dozen cases have also been linked to GP clinics as well as cases in rehabilitation centres and dental centres.

"Either there has been a series of unusual events or there's a pattern here," McLaws said.

She said healthcare workers could be getting infected by Covid patients at work, or could also be getting the virus from other patients (who may be living in hotspot areas) or were getting it from community transmission themselves.

"If you look and there are one or two cases, it should ring alarm bells, especially among health providers.

MelbourneLockdown
MelbourneLockdown

"Especially if it is across facilities, something is going wrong. Either staff are coming into contact with Covid patients, they are exposed to hotspots or there is an operator error when it comes to PPE [personal protective equipment]."

Related articles

World

Queensland closing doors to Victoria escapees

09 Jul 02:31 AM
World

It's a miracle: Florida man busted for selling fake virus cure

09 Jul 02:42 AM
World

Virus surges in Victoria with 617 cases: What NZ needs to learn from Melbourne

09 Jul 05:31 AM
World

Investigation after teens in TikTok video find body parts in suitcase

09 Jul 06:30 AM

She said healthcare providers were a potential risk category as numbers appeared to be rising.

"You see the numbers creeping up … and the pattern is telling me that it's not getting better."

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Coronavirus infections among healthcare staff pose a risk to their families but also to the patients they are looking after.

"They are all potentially a risk to the wider community," she said.

Subscribe to Premium

McLaws said authorities may need to review their rules around the use of masks and Covid-19 testing of healthcare staff.

Minister for Health, Jenny Mikakos and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews give an update on the response to Covid-19 at the State Emergency Centre. Photo / Getty Images
Minister for Health, Jenny Mikakos and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews give an update on the response to Covid-19 at the State Emergency Centre. Photo / Getty Images

On Thursday afternoon Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Coatsworth said Victorians in Melbourne and the Mitchell shire, where there were high levels of community transmission would now be encouraged to wear masks.

"Surgical masks or cloth masks is recommended if you find yourself in a situation where
you cannot socially distance.

"This means if you have to leave your home … and you are likely to find yourself in a situation where you cannot maintain 1.5m distance, it is advisable to be covering your face with a mask."

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

McLaws said authorities also needed to consider whether staff in all wards including maternity and emergency, should wear masks, not just those in Covid wards.

"Authorities should be watching, and will be watching I imagine, the catchment area of where their patients are coming from.

"If patients are coming from hotspot areas of Melbourne, it could be a prudent, preventive approach for healthcare workers to wear masks."

STAY IN THE KNOW. SIGN UP TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTERS HERE.

McLaws said masks were not normally worn by all healthcare workers all the time partly because of the limited supply but also because they were uncomfortable.

"You also don't want workers wearing masks for 10 to 12-hour shifts, it's a very difficult ask to wear a mask for that duration unless the risk is high."

A man makes a gesture with his arms crossed at the Flemington Public housing flats, one of nine towers completely locked down. Photo / Getty Images
A man makes a gesture with his arms crossed at the Flemington Public housing flats, one of nine towers completely locked down. Photo / Getty Images

However, she said the WHO acknowledged that when there was a high prevalence of Covid in a certain catchment, it was a good preventive strategy to ask healthcare staff to put on a mask across most clinical settings.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

"It's not very nice to wear a mask all day long and it will reduce supplies but safety of workers is important. Authorities will have to make that decision."

She said authorities also needed to look at how often they were screening healthcare staff for Covid-19 and whether they should be tested more regularly even if workers don't have symptoms.

News.com.au has contacted the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services for comment.

‌

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from World

World

Saudi student jailed for 34 years for tweeting 'rumours'

18 Aug 06:59 PM
World

Trump's top finance officer pleads guilty to tax evasion

18 Aug 06:31 PM
World

Desperate Putin's extraordinary offer to women

18 Aug 08:29 AM
World

Death toll in Afghan capital mosque bombing now 21

18 Aug 07:21 AM
World

America announces trade talks with Taiwan as island holds military drills

18 Aug 07:20 AM

Most Popular

Premium
'Unbelievable': How Govt crackdown failed to protect women against surgical mesh harm
New ZealandUpdated

'Unbelievable': How Govt crackdown failed to protect women against surgical mesh harm

18 Aug 08:00 PM
Listen: Gaurav Sharma fronts as caucus considers 'motion to expel'
New Zealand|PoliticsUpdated

Listen: Gaurav Sharma fronts as caucus considers 'motion to expel'

18 Aug 07:18 PM
Live: Nature's fury - 400+ Nelson homes now evacuated; rain warnings for Auckland, North Island
New ZealandUpdated

Live: Nature's fury - 400+ Nelson homes now evacuated; rain warnings for Auckland, North Island

18 Aug 07:10 PM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP