Northern Beaches Hospital at centre of Covid scare, as mum breaks rules to see critically ill son

Northern Beaches Hospital is at the centre of a Covid scare after a mum broke the rules in a bid to see critically ill son who had been admitted with the virus.

Northern Beaches Hospital is at the centre of a Covid scare after a mum attempted to see her son who had been admitted with the virus.

The sick man, in his 30s from Belrose, was taken to the Frenchs Forest hospital by ambulance on Saturday night after his condition suddenly worsened.

In a memo from hospital boss Andrew Newton to staff, which was leaked to the Manly Daily, it said the “relatively young man who was positive for Covid-19 was transferred to our ED by ambulance from his home”.

“He was immediately treated in a negative pressure room in ED by staff in full personal protective equipment,” the memo said.

Northern Beaches Hospital at Frenchs Forest. The front of the Northern Beaches Hospital at Frenchs Forest. (AAP IMAGE)

It said the man was put on a ventilator and transferred to the Intensive Care Unit where he is in a critical condition.

Later the mum arrived at the hospital and “did not declare their risk”.

She was tested and found to be positive.

“A family member of the man presented later to the Emergency Department who was also found to be Covid-19 positive and attended the ED waiting area for approximately five minutes,” the memo said.

“People who were in the waiting area at the time are being contacted by Northern Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit.

Northern Beaches Hospital Andrew Newton CEO. Andrew photographed today 18th August 2020 outside the new hospital. Image Matthew Vasilescu

“I want to assure you that our staff adhered strictly to protocols,” Mr Newton wrote.

“While the family member did not declare their risk, staff acted quickly and the risk to people in the waiting area was minimised.”

Once staff realised the woman was a Covid risk she was taken into an isolation area.

The young man in ICU is understood to be the first Covid case for Northern Beaches Hospital since the outbreak.

It comes as the number of cases spiked on the peninsula over the weekend, with six more recorded in the last 48 hours, bringing the total of active cases to 32.

Forestville and Killarney postcode 2087 saw its first case, while Manly now has two, up one; the 2099 postcode that included Cromer and Dee Why jumped three and now stands at 4, another new case in Allambie Heights, Beacon Hill and Brookvale, bringing the total there to 9; Belrose has 4, Elanora Heights, Narrabeen and Ingleside has 5; Warriewood 3; Palm Beach 1; Collaroy 3.

There are four cases the contract tracers have been unable to work out the source of the infection.