The death toll of the coronavirus outbreak at Newmarch House in Western Sydney has now reached 16.
This terribly sad news comes as the latest resident died Tuesday morning after testing positive to COVID-19.
Since the outbreak first began on April 13, there have been a total of 66 infections linked to the home, including 37 residents and 29 staff members.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the family for whom this is both distressing and tragic”, Anglicare Sydney shared in a statement.
“The incredibly contagious nature of the virus is evidenced by the fact that in the last 24 hours three staff members of Newmarch House have tested positive.
“They are now self-isolating. The positive test results were discovered during our daily, rigorous testing regime which is now being applied to all staff working at Newmarch House prior to the commencement of their shifts.”
On Tuesday the facility’s operator, Anglicare, confirmed they had stood down one of the health professional contractors from Aspen Medical over alleged breaches in infection control.
An Anglicare spokesperson reported the alleged breach in relation to personal protective equipment (PPE) protocol.
“We take our PPE protocols seriously. It’s vital to protect those we’re caring for from this terrible virus,” they said.
Aspen Medical was still waiting on a detailed report from Anglicare before further comments would be provided..
“Once we have the facts, we will investigate the matter thoroughly and provide our staff member with a fair and balanced hearing,” Aspen Medical said in a statement.
Dr Kerry Chant, NSW Chief Health Officer, has cautioned against laying blame over the COVID-19 outbreak at the aged care home.
“Human nature is of course you’re going to go and pick up a resident who has fallen on the ground even if it means touching them or your mask dislodges in that process.”
“We need to show care and compassion for staff who are working in these facilities,” Dr Chant said.
The 71 year old man that passed away after testing positive for COVID-19 yesterday, was reported to have no immediate family members.
According to a statement from Anglicare Sydney, he was “well cared for by the dedicated staff of Newmarch House”.
“On behalf of our resident, we grieve for his death and we value that he was part of our Anglicare family while we cared for him.
“His passing highlights how terrible this virus is and how devastating it is for the elderly in our community,” Anglicare said in a statement.
Image source – istock licence – the image does not depict real people.
Get the residents out of the facility. Isolate and hospitalise those who need it. isolate all staff for 2 weeks Use the money offfered by government to replace them and sanitize the entire facility once and for all to stop the continual cross infection occurring. The government can do this for flights why not our elderly. It should have been done 3 weeks minimum ago You would not have had so many die so needlessly
So true Esmeralda. This is so typical though. Governments and advocates of our elderly not looking outside the square and pulling all ranks to make a difference. I really feel that the elderly are money cows to the businesses that run the show. Yes it is a business but when it comes to looking after elderly people nobody really wants the best for them as it costs too much you see. They have limited staff from Physios to RNs. In the end the poor AINs get all the extra work the RNs used to do. Don’t they get paid more than us lowly AUNs? They sit there at their computers most of the day. Seems AINs are doing exactly what EENs used to do, but they were paid more. Oh I forgot, we are just mostly imports today or uneducated housewives with the “carer” label that makes us seem like cheap servants. Now that we give out medication (not the dangerous ones) and take temperatures of all the residents due to Corona19 what’s next? Well we could be asked to dress wounds and do blood pressure next! They do it in other facilities across the globe. I feel like the Assistants In Nursing have become the EENS of past only difference is, no registration!!! I am just a carer I am just a carer! Registration means a different rate of pay. We need to get rid of the term, “Carer” due to the stigma the term Carrie’s and the wage it creates!
Annonomous, we cannot get rid of the title ‘carer’. Other titles having nurse or doctor in them are restricted by law. The problem is not a title but education and vocation training for carers. They have too little training and are able to ‘care’ for a resident as opposed to pride ‘health’ care. I believe this is where the problem lies. And the y do it all without supervision or understanding of what they are doing. It’s an illegal expectation and it’s wrong.
So true Donna.