Revealed: 210 aged care homes in NSW battling Covid outbreaks

New figures show aged care homes across the state are continuing to experience rising high numbers of Covid cases with almost one in four homes battling outbreaks. See the full list here.

Covid case numbers remain stagnantly high in NSW aged care homes, with almost one in four of the state’s facilities now recording active outbreaks.

The number of aged care facilities where residents or staff members have contracted the virus has topped 210 — including some homes where more than 90 cases have been recorded.

The figures, captured on Friday, shows that of the homes with current outbreaks, there are 1237 active cases among residents and 576 active cases in staff members.

Covid cases remain high in the aged care sector.

Nationwide, there have been 1570 aged care residents who have died with Covid-19 since January this year – equating to 63 per cent of the total deaths in aged care since the beginning of the pandemic.

The figures show Uniting Wesley Gardens in Belrose has the highest number of overall cases in NSW followed by SummitCare at Canley Vale.

Other facilities with high numbers of cases include the Calvary Cessnock Retirement Community, Chiswick Manor Care Community, Mark Moran at Little Bay and Catholic Healthcare Bodington.

Many homes have strict infection control practices.

Chris Mamarelis, the chief executive of Whiddon Group which has 10 homes with active outbreaks in NSW, said it had become increasingly challenging to keep Covid out of residential aged care.

“It’s certainly still very challenging despite the fact that in the community we’ve learned to live with the virus. We still have high community transmission and despite screening processes it can still come back in (to facilities),” he said.

“What’s positive is, we have a lot of strategies to combat it – 95 per cent of our residents are vaccinated and we also have oral antiviral medication supplied by the commonwealth that is really effective as well.

Whiddon chief executive Chris Mamarelis (left) pictured alongside an aged care worker.

“The main challenge is the workforce because we still can’t find staff to fill shifts and have staff furloughing and that’s putting a lot of additional pressure on the existing workforce who we are turning up every day trying to look after everyone.

“The solution is we need more people and we need to pay them more. The new government has promised to fund the Fair Work wage increase and it’s absolutely essential that it is followed through.”

A spokeswoman for Calvary, which runs Cessnock Retirement Community, said it was continuing to work with the state’s public health unit to undertake strict infection controls including daily RAT testing, masks and visors for all visitors and staff, and PCR testing during outbreaks.

Helen Workman, the chief executive of St Sergius Aged Care in Cabramatta, said the facility was turning to new graduates to fill the workforce shortage.

“We have very strict infection control in place but what’s been challenging is it’s hard to avoid (infection entering aged care) because people don’t always test positive immediately when taking a rapid antigen test,” she said.

Almost one in four aged care homes have an active outbreak.

“Staffing is also a continual issue but we’re continually recruiting and training new staff and students to ensure we have adequate numbers.”

Across NSW, the total current number of homes with active outbreaks equates to 24.2 per cent of the 870 residential aged care homes.

The Department of Health said “no country has been able to avoid outbreaks or deaths in residential aged care when there has been widespread community transmission”.

Department figures show the death rate in the sector, per number of aged care beds, is 1.1% per cent – which it said was “seven times lower” than comparable figures in Canada.

Nationwide, there were 8624 active resident cases of Covid-19 related to aged care across 780 residential aged care facilities as of Friday.

NSW HOMES WITH ACTIVE OUTBREAKS – AS OF FRIDAY, MAY 27

NOTE: figures include homes with active outbreaks and takes into account resolved resident cases of Covid-19.

• Uniting Wesley Gardens Belrose – 88 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• SummitCare Canley Vale – 66 resident cases, 3 resident deaths and 31 staff cases
• Calvary Cessnock Retirement Community – 63 resident cases, 4 resident deaths and 17 staff cases
• Chiswick Manor Care Community – 60 resident cases, 2 resident deaths and 16 staff cases
• Anglican Care C A Brown – 58 resident cases, 1 resident death and 28 staff cases
• Mark Moran at Little Bay – 54 resident cases, 1 resident death and 15 staff cases
• Catholic Healthcare Bodington – 49 resident cases, 4 resident deaths and 18 staff cases
• Bella Vista Gardens – 46 resident cases, 1 resident death and 12 staff cases
• Minchinbury Manor – 44 resident cases, 1 resident death and 13 staff cases
• Catholic Healthcare Lewisham Retirement Hostel – 44 resident cases and 11 staff cases
• The Village by Scalabrini – 43 resident cases, 1 resident death and 12 staff cases
• Uniting Annesley Haberfield – 42 resident cases, 2 resident deaths and 6 staff cases
• Warrigal Wollongong – 41 resident cases and 6 staff cases
• Katoomba Views Care Community – 39 resident cases, 2 resident deaths and 16 staff cases
• Bernard Chan Nursing Home – 39 resident cases, 1 resident death and 9 staff cases
• Chow Cho-Poon Nursing Home – 38 resident cases, 1 resident death and 16 staff cases
• Uniting Wontama Orange – 38 resident cases, 1 resident death and 10 staff cases
• Uniting Kamilaroi Lane Cove – 36 resident cases, 1 resident death and 8 staff cases
• Thomas Eccles Gardens – 35 resident cases, 2 resident deaths and 26 staff cases
• Hunters Hill Montefiore Home – 35 resident cases and 19 staff cases
• Mudgee Grove Care Community – 34 resident cases, 2 resident deaths and 10 staff cases
• Melva McDonald Lodge – 30 resident cases and 5 staff cases
• Presbyterian Aged Care – Ashfield – 30 resident cases and 5 staff cases
• Huntingdon Gardens Aged Care Facility – 29 resident cases, 1 resident death and 16 staff cases
• Bupa Ballina – 29 resident cases and 10 staff cases
• Dougherty Apartments – 29 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Scalabrini Village Allambie Heights – 28 resident cases, 1 resident death and 9 staff cases
• Peninsula Villages Ltd – 27 resident cases, 1 resident death and 10 staff cases
• BaptistCare Mid Richmond Centre – Coraki – 26 resident cases and 11 staff cases
• Catholic Healthcare St Peter’s Lane Cove North – 26 resident cases and 8 staff cases
• IRT Shoalhaven Court – 26 resident cases and 6 staff cases
• Peter Cosgrove House – 24 resident cases and 8 staff cases
• Uniting Ronald Coleman Lodge Woollahra – 23 resident cases, 1 resident death and 6 staff cases
• Flinders Court – 23 resident cases
• The Manor Fairfield East – 22 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Whitehall Nursing Home – 21 resident cases, 2 resident deaths and 3 staff cases
• Whiddon Mudgee Pioneer – 21 resident cases and 6 staff cases
• Advantaged Care at Edensor Gardens – 21 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• RFBI Hawkins Masonic Village – Acacia House – 21 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Southern Cross Care Young Residential Aged Care – 20 resident cases, 1 resident death and 8 staff cases
• Lara Aged Care – 20 resident cases and 22 staff cases
• Bupa Clemton Park – 20 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Pathways Sailors Bay – 20 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Pembroke Lodge – 19 resident cases, 1 resident death and 10 staff cases
• Mountainview Nursing Home – 19 resident cases, 1 resident death and 5 staff cases
• Eloura – 19 resident cases and 15 staff cases
• Uniting Mullauna Blacktown – 19 resident cases and 1 staff case
• The Whiddon Group – Largs – 18 resident cases and 10 staff cases
• Orana Gardens – 18 resident cases and 7 staff cases
• Uniting Thomas Bowden Ryde – 18 resident cases
• Cameron Park Care Community – 17 resident cases, 1 resident death and 17 staff cases
• St Elizabeth Home – 17 resident cases, 1 resident death and 3 staff cases
• Ashfield Terrace Care Community – 17 resident cases and 6 staff cases
• Brother Alberts Home – 17 resident cases and 5 staff cases
• Warrigal Care Queanbeyan – 17 resident cases and 4 staff cases
• Illawarra Multi-Cultural Village Hostel – 17 resident cases and 1 staff case
• MacKillop House – 17 resident cases
• Regis Port Stephens – 16 resident cases, 2 resident deaths and 16 staff cases
• Uniting Edinglassie Emu Plains – 16 resident cases and 21 staff cases
• Yallambee Lodge – 16 resident cases and 15 staff cases
• Dural House Aged Care – 16 resident cases and 4 staff cases
• Bupa Sutherland – 16 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Uniting The Marion Leichhardt – 16 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• The Palms Nursing Home – 15 resident cases, 1 resident death and 5 staff cases
• Nazareth House Tamworth – 15 resident cases and 11 staff cases
• HammondCare – Princess Juliana Lodge – 15 resident cases and 7 staff cases
• Estia Health Epping – The Poplars – 15 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Jesmond Aged Care – 15 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Bupa Tamworth – 14 resident cases, 2 resident deaths and 2 staff cases
• Regis Port Macquarie – 14 resident cases and 8 staff cases
• Uniting Alroy House Singleton – 14 resident cases and 4 staff cases
• Vincent Court – 14 resident cases and 4 staff cases
• Catholic Healthcare St Paul’s Residential Aged Care – 14 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Calvary Nazareth Retirement Community – 13 resident cases, 1 resident death and 34 staff cases
• RFBI Raleigh Urunga Masonic Village – 13 resident cases and 9 staff cases
• Governor Phillip Manor – 12 resident cases
• Rosedurnate Aged Care Plus Centre (0130) – 11 resident cases and 13 staff cases
• Uniting Northaven Turramurra – 11 resident cases and 5 staff cases
• Charingfield – 11 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Estia Health Albury – 11 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Aruma Lodge – 11 resident cases and 1 staff case
• IRT Peakhurst – 11 resident cases
• The Whiddon Group – Glenfield – 10 resident cases, 1 resident death and 9 staff cases
• Nyngan Multi-Purpose Service – 10 resident cases, 1 resident death and 6 staff cases
• BlueWave Living – 10 resident cases and 31 staff cases
• Lightning Ridge Multi-Purpose Service – 10 resident cases and 4 staff cases
• Southhaven Aged Care – 10 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Estia Health Taree – 10 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Gilgandra Multi-Purpose Service – 9 resident cases and 5 staff cases
• Yallambee Village – 9 resident cases and 4 staff cases
• Estia Health Manly Vale – 9 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Wesley Tebbutt – 9 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Uniting Abrina Ashfield – 9 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Uniting Bowden Brae Normanhurst – 9 resident cases and 1 staff case
• St Hedwig Village – 8 resident cases and 7 staff cases
• Newmarch House – 8 resident cases and 4 staff cases
• Uniting Nunyara Peakhurst – 8 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• HammondCare – Horsley – 8 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Pathways Cronulla Pines – 8 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Catholic Healthcare St Bedes Home – 8 resident cases
• Fairlea Aged Care @ Harris Park – 8 resident cases
• Tweed Valley Care Community – 8 resident cases
• Roseneath Aged Care Centre Pty Ltd – 7 resident cases, 1 resident death and 7 staff cases
• Uniting Aldersgate Lilyfield – 7 resident cases and 1 resident death
• The Donald Coburn Centre – 7 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Estia Health Bankstown – 7 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Wallarah Point Care Community – 6 resident cases, 1 resident death and 7 staff cases
• Uniting Quong Tart Ashfield – 6 resident cases and 7 staff cases
• Uniting Caroona Marima Goonellabah – 6 resident cases and 5 staff cases
• Blacktown Terrace Care Community – 6 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• St Vincent’s Care Services Heathcote – 6 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• The Whiddon Group – Belmont – 6 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Richmond Lodge – 5 resident cases and 7 staff cases
• The Whiddon Group – Grafton – 5 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Uniting Osborne House Nowra – 5 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Bupa Ashbury – 5 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Frederic House – 5 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Lady Of Grace Nursing Home – 5 resident cases and 1 staff case
• The Whiddon Group – Kelso – 5 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Estia Health Kogarah – 4 resident cases, 1 resident death and 2 staff cases
• Cooinda Hostel – 4 resident cases and 9 staff cases
• Beresford Hall – 4 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Cooinda Nursing Home – 4 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Uniting Tumut – 4 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Bolton Clarke Macquarie View – Bolton Point – 4 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Boronia House – 4 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Estia Health Tea Gardens – 4 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Trangie Multi-Purpose Service – 4 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Estia Health Blakehurst – 4 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Calvary Mt Carmel Retirement Community – 4 resident cases
• Uniting Gerringong – 4 resident cases
• The Whiddon Group – Redhead – 3 resident cases, 1 resident death and 6 staff cases
• SummitCare Wallsend – 3 resident cases and 1 resident death
• Catholic Healthcare Jemalong Residential Village – 3 resident cases and 5 staff cases
• Uniting Lindsay Gardens Hamilton – 3 resident cases and 5 staff cases
• Catholic Healthcare Blakeney Lodge – 3 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Pemulwuy Aged Care – 3 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Rosedurnate Aged Care Plus Centre (2503) – 3 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• St Annes Nursing Home – 3 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Uniting Koombahla Elermore Vale – 3 resident cases and 1 staff case
• The Whiddon Group – Glenfield – Easton Park – 2 resident cases, 2 resident deaths and 80 staff cases
• Avondale House – 2 resident cases, 1 resident death and 1 staff case
• Randwick Montefiore Home – 2 resident cases and 9 staff cases
• Estia Health Tuncurry – 2 resident cases and 7 staff cases
• RFBI Bathurst Masonic Village – 2 resident cases and 6 staff cases
• Southern Cross Care St Joseph’s Residential Aged Care – 2 resident cases and 6 staff cases
• Dudley Foord House – 2 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Gulargambone Multi-Purpose Service – 2 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Hakea Grove Aged Care – 2 resident cases and 3 staff cases
• Belmore Place Care Community – 2 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Bolton Clarke Darlington – 2 resident cases and 2 staff cases
• Aurrum Erina – 2 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Bupa Willoughby – 2 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Glaica House – 2 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Holbrook Hostel – 2 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Karingal Gardens – 2 resident cases and 1 staff case
• St Marys Villa Residential Aged Care – 2 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Uniting Locke Haven Petersham – 2 resident cases and 1 staff case
• Coastal Waters Aged Care – 2 resident cases
• James Milson Village Woolwich – 2 resident cases
• Lansdowne Aged Care Facility – 2 resident cases
• St Catherine’s Aged Care Services – 2 resident cases
• SummitCare Baulkham Hills – 2 resident cases
• The Whiddon Group – River Gum Lodge – 2 resident cases
• Winston Hillside Care Community – 2 resident cases
• Whiddon Moree NH – 1 resident case 1 resident death and 1 staff case
• Indochinese Aged Care Services – 1 resident case and 10 staff cases
• BaptistCare Maranoa Centre – Alstonville – 1 resident case and 6 staff cases
• Rylstone Multi-Purpose Service – 1 resident case and 5 staff cases
• BooroongenDjugun Limited – 1 resident case and 4 staff cases
• Nuffield Village – 1 resident case and 3 staff cases
• Manly Vale Nursing Home – 1 resident case and 2 staff cases
• Southern Cross Care St Catherine’s Residential Aged Care – 1 resident case and 2 staff cases
• Ashwood Residential Care Service – 1 resident case and 1 staff case
• Berkeley Vale Care Community – 1 resident case and 1 staff case
• Catholic Healthcare St John’s Villa – 1 resident case and 1 staff case
• Gillawarna Village – 1 resident case and 1 staff case
• Seven Hills Nursing Home – 1 resident case and 1 staff case
• The Pioneers Lodge – 1 resident case and 1 staff case
• Uniting Kingscliff – 1 resident case and 1 staff case
• Yallaroo – 1 resident case and 1 staff case
• Catholic Healthcare Villa Maria Centre – 1 resident case
• Macleay Valley House – 1 resident case
• Markmoran at Vaucluse – 1 resident case
• Mercy Place Albury – 1 resident case
• Milford House Nursing Home – 1 resident case
• The Greek Community Home For The Aged – 1 resident case
• Mater Christi Aged Care Facility – 32 staff cases
• Anglicare Barry Marsh House – 15 staff cases
• Dellacourt – 7 staff cases
• Meadowbank Grove Care Community – 5 staff cases
• Paling Court Residential Aged Care – 5 staff cases
• Cootamundra Nursing Home – 4 staff cases
• Uniting Starrett Lodge Hamlyn Terrace – 4 staff cases
• Advantaged Care at Bondi Waters – 3 staff cases
• Cherrybrook Christian Care Centre – 3 staff cases
• BaptistCare Morven Gardens Centre – 2 staff cases
• Byron Aged Care – 2 staff cases
• Calvary Ryde Retirement Community – Mary Potter Residential Care – 2 staff cases
• CASS Residential Aged Care Facility – 2 staff cases
• Catholic Healthcare Maranatha Lodge – 2 staff cases
• Dubbo Homestead Care Community – 2 staff cases
• Jonathan Rogers GC House – 2 staff cases
• Mary Andrews Retirement Village Hostel – 2 staff cases
• Mary Mackillop Hostel Carrington Retirement Village – 2 staff cases
• Mercy Aged Care Services (Singleton) – 2 staff cases
• Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care – 2 staff cases
• Uniting Osborne Nowra – 2 staff cases
• Warrigal Care Bundanoon – 2 staff cases