Inside Sydney hotel converted into a hospital for COVID-19 patients

From the outside, it looks like any other hotel. But inside, the Sydney building has been transformed into a makeshift hospital, housing COVID-positive cases and travellers showing symptoms of the virus. SEE THE VIDEO AND PICTURES

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Welcome to “COVID Central”: the high-rise Sydney hotel converted into a hospital for infected patients.

The inner-city complex is the “epicentre” of the state’s battle to contain the spread of coronavirus and protect NSW from Victoria’s outbreak.

The Sunday Telegraph was given the first look inside the new makeshift hospital caring for COVID-positive cases and travellers showing symptoms of the virus.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the health hotel, which he dubbed the “Fort Knox of COVID”, was keeping the state safe.

“It is ‘COVID Central’ for NSW,” Mr Hazzard said, adding the “hotel guests/patients get maximum care but also the state gets maximum security”.

One of the hotel rooms being used as a makeshift hospital space. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Inside one of the living areas of the hotel rooms. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“We’re the only state that uses a health hotel for containing positive COVID cases,” he said.

“This is the epicentre where you can manage pati­ents who are not ready to be out in the community and don’t need an ICU but are still potentially dangerous if they got out — dangerous to themselves and to the community if they were not looked after in this sort of facility.”

With more than 220 apartments across two towers, the hotel — operating since April — is the biggest and busiest of five Sydney hotels the state government has converted into COVID hospitals.

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Only health staff can enter the building and they must follow strict infection control procedures, including wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) to treat patients.

Nurses’ stations have been created on every third floor of the hotel, with CCTV security monitoring the building, ­including hallways.

The Sydney hotel has been transformed into one of five quarantine hospitals. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

The rooms include a kitchen area and have balconies. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Nurse unit manager Bella Daniel checks on patients by going room to room. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Patient rooms — one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments — have balconies along with signage at the front door with the warning: “Do not leave your room without approval” and “wear your mask every time you leave”.

The ovens have been disabled so fire alarms are not set off, with meals provided to patients or ordered in.

A courtyard in the complex has been cordoned off for exercise, with patients ­allocated time outdoors under the supervision of staff.

“Most NSW residents wouldn’t have any idea of what’s occurring behind those walls but it is a little piece of COVID magic which is delivering the best outcomes for our residents,” Mr Hazzard said.

Nurses delivering supplies to the hotel. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Waste bins outside the rooms for PPE gear to be discarded. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Sydney Local Health District chief executive Dr Ter­esa Anderson said “everyone here is a patient, they are not a guest”.

“We have a number of facilities in the community and we’ve been very deliberate about not publicising where they are because there’s a lot of people who get really worried and think there’s going to be a problem,” she said.

“There is no risk — zero risk — to the community and that’s really important for everyone to know. This is keeping the community safe.”

“It’s my view that, without the police quarantining and the separation of people who are symptomatic from other returning travellers, we would have had outbreaks.”

Pre-packaged food in the kitchen area. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Bradley McEntee puts on his PPE before work. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

NSW recorded six new cases of COVID in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday: five returned travellers and an 18-year-old male student from Green Point Christian College on the Central Coast.

“However, results indicate this is a past infection and not an active case,” NSW Health said in a statement.

Long queues at a COVID testing clinic in Rozelle continued yesterday after a Woolworths worker tested positive during the week.

The exercise yard at the hotel for patients. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Workers in the staff area on the ground floor where PPE is not needed. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Victoria reported 108 new cases — the second-highest daily increase in the state — with residents in nine public housing estates in inner Melbourne ordered to stay home.

Mr Hazzard said NSW was providing support to Victoria with contact tracing and testing. He also didn’t rule out hospital beds.

“It may be at some point we also have to provide beds and that’s something we really hope we don’t get to because we’re under enormous pressure already,” he said.

“As Health Minister I am desperately hoping Victoria can bring their cluster of outbreaks under control but I’m disappointed that some of the Victorian community just doesn’t seem to be responding to their government’s requests. That just can’t go on.”

Dr Anderson said the increased COVID cases in Victoria had put extra pressure on the hotel hospitals, with screening and swabbing now at the domestic terminal in Sydney and Central Station.