Sep 02, 2020

Cautious optimism as Victorian aged care coronavirus numbers improve

The coronavirus outbreak in Victorian aged care homes has had devastating repercussions, with 425 of the state’s 570 deaths occurring within care homes. 

However, the crisis may be easing with the Victorian aged care response centre (VACRC), reporting that there is now only one care facility still labeled as high risk. 

When the VACRC was established in early August, 13 facilities were considered high risk, and since January 1st 2020, Victoria has seen outbreaks in 163 aged care facilities. 

In the past week, the number of facilities in Victoria with current outbreaks has dropped by 21 from 123 to 102. 

There have been a cumulative total of 4,039 cases in aged care consisting of 1,799 residents, 1,744 staff and 496 close contacts of staff of residents. 

Let’s hope the strict precautions that have been in place since early August may finally be starting to take effect.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Isolation presents another coronavirus concern

Many older people ageing in place have been entirely on their own for months. For those in residential care, a large number of them living with dementia, this isolation has also been particularly hard. Many have been asked to stay alone, isolating in their rooms, visits from family banned or severely curtailed. Read More

St Basil’s paying millions to owner while residents suffer 

  The aged care home at the centre of the Melbourne aged care COVID-19 crisis has been paying its church owner millions in rent for years. St Basil’s Aged Care Fawkner has been at the heart of the COVID-19 crisis in Melbourne in recent months. More than 30 residents at St Basil’s have died after 195 staff... Read More

COVID-19: Government must urgently address gaps in aged care support

With the death overnight of six older Victorians with COVID-19, Victorian aged care services are going public with major concerns about gaps in government coronavirus supports, including PPE, staffing, transfers and testing. Read More
Advertisement