Staff member ‘potentially infectious’ with Covid while working at Sunshine Coast University Hospital

A staff member who has tested positive for Covid-19 was “potentially infectious” while working a shift at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

A staff member who tested positive to Covid-19 was “potentially infectious” while working a Christmas Eve shift at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

The worker wasn’t presenting any symptoms and finished a shift on December 24 while potentially infectious with Covid-19.

A spokesperson from Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service said approximately 10 workers at this stage who also worked that day were being tested, and the Public Health Unit was contacting patients.

“All staff in our hospitals wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and certain clinical areas apply additional levels of protection,” the spokesperson said.

“This ensures our patients and staff have the highest level of protection.”

A staff member at the hospital has tested positive to Covid-19.

Because of the high level of PPE worn by staff, the hospital says that the contact risk for the majority of staff and patients is “low”.

“In an abundance of caution, the staff who worked on that shift will continue to be tested and will be isolated from other staff while taking breaks.”