Covid-19 NSW: nine healthcare workers contract virus

Nine healthcare workers have now tested positive for Covid-19 after a student nurse who worked at two Sydney hospitals contracted the virus.

UPDATE – JULY 2 2021, 12.00PM

Nine healthcare and aged care workers have now contracted Covid-19 following contact with a student nurse who was confirmed to have the virus on Wednesday.

A female student nurse who worked at a rehabilitation ward at Fairfield Hospital and abdominal and cardiology wards at Royal North Shore Hospital was confirmed to have the virus late on Tuesday night.

Eight of the 31 cases reported on Friday are now known to be associated with the student nurse, in addition to two announced on Thursday.

Nine of the 10 associated cases are healthcare or aged care workers.

Healthcare workers at the Bondi Beach drive-through COVID-19 test centre, Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

“More than 390 staff and patients have been identified as close contacts to date, with investigations into the source of the first case’s infection and contact tracing ongoing,” NSW Health said in a statement.

Among the cases reported on Thursday was a female healthcare worker – HCW1 – aged in her 20s, and a household contact of hers.

A further three healthcare worker cases were identified as linked and included in Friday’s numbers.

They include a female healthcare worker in her 20s – HCW2 – who worked across Royal North Shore, Fairfield and Ryde Rehabilitation Hospitals during her infectious period and she is a close contact of HCW1.

A woman in her 20s – HCW3 – who works at the SummitCare aged care facility in Baulkham Hills who is a close contact of HCW2 has also tested positive.

A man in his 60s who is a healthcare worker at Royal North Shore Hospital and is also a close contact of HCW1 has also tested positive but he did not work while he was infectious.

UPDATE – JULY 1 2021, 11.15AM

Two fellow healthcare workers have tested positive for Covid-19 after a student nurse was confirmed to have contracted the virus.

A female student nurse who worked at a rehabilitation ward at Fairfield Hospital and abdominal and cardiology wards at Royal North Shore Hospital was confirmed to have the virus late on Tuesday night.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant confirmed one of the student nurse’s household contacts, a close friend who is also a healthcare worker and a male colleague at Royal North Shore Hospital have subsequently tested positive for the virus.

“We’re undertaking further investigations to understand the direction of transmission,” Dr Chant said.

“We have identified one healthcare worker who was present at the ward on Sunday when she was close to completing her shift and that healthcare worker has not worked while infectious.”

Dr Chant said the close friend worked at “similar” locations to her – Royal North Shore Hospital, Fairfield Hospital, and Royal Ryde Rehabilitation Hospital.

“We know that one of her other close contacts works at an aged care facility, at Summit Care in Baulkham Hills,” Dr Chant said.

“But 135 out of 149 residents were vaccinated and they have concluded their Pfizer vaccinations for over a month.”

Dr Chant said it was a pertinent reminder that while essential healthcare and other activities must continue, vigilance with even the mildest symptoms was necessary to curb the virus’ spread.

EARLIER – JUNE 30, 11.15AM

Contact tracers are taking urgent action after a student nurse who worked in multiple wards at two Sydney hospitals tested positive to Covid-19.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said a 24-year-old female student nurse worked while she was infectious in a rehabilitation ward at Fairfield Hospital in Prairiewood.

She also worked in two wards – a cardiology ward and an abdominal surgery ward – at Royal North Shore Hospital in St Leonards.

“Contract tracers immediately swung into action,” Dr Chant said.

“The wards where that nurse worked are now locked down and we have followed up any patients that have been discharged from that ward as well as testing any staff that have been in contact.”

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant and Premier Gladys Berejiklian. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

Dr Chant said at this stage the nurse has not transmitted the virus to anyone else who has been tested, but NSW Health will canvas a broad transmission period in order to capture staff, patients and visitors who have been in contact with her.

“Staff who had contact with the student nurse were identified and ensured they were not on duty, testing was arranged, we ensured discharged patients were contacted,” Dr Chant said.

“Obviously we’ll update you should there be anything different in public health advice arising from this individual.”

The case was identified late on Tuesday night and will be counted in tomorrow’s numbers, and Dr Chant urged patients and their loved ones not to be alarmed while the situation was assessed.

“The source of this patient is not clear at this stage, we do know that a household member is positive and we are testing another household member and we are doing repeat testing,” Dr Chant said.

“Sometimes the direction of transmission is difficult to understand so we do need to do a few tests around the person and once we find out who was the first case, we go back and look at the 14 days prior and who was their source.”

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said more than 68,000 people across NSW got tested for Covid-19 yesterday with 22 new cases identified.

“NSW is demonstrating a steady rate of cases at this stage to date,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“Our fears about huge escalation haven’t materialised and we certainly want to keep it that way.”

Eleven of those cases were in isolation the entire time, five were in isolation for part of the time and six were infectious in the community.

More to come.