1220 new Covid cases, three deaths as health crisis worsens
An ICU nurse from Melbourne’s Covid epicentre has revealed just how quickly the illness can escalate, with some patients going from sitting in a chair to saying their farewells within minutes.
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An ICU nurse has opened up on the harrowing scenes unfolding inside Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Covid ward.
It comes as Victoria announced 1220 new local cases and three deaths.
Nursing unit manager Michelle Spence said their hospital has 135 patients with Covid, including eight in the emergency department waiting for beds.
She said she had seen patients aged in their 20s and 30s.
“We often run at about 100 per cent capacity,” she said.
Ms Spence added: “Last week I saw a 30-year-old with no past history, put on a ventilator.
“He didn’t get vaccinated and now he’s on life support.
“One of the saddest things I’ve seen in the last few weeks is people begging for the vaccine right before we put them on life support … they’re very young, and once we get to that and we’re about to put them on a lot of support, its is really too late, and their family is remorseful.
“This could be you, if you’re waiting. It is your window to not be this person.”
Of another case, she said: “I’ve seen fit, 70kg — I say that because people think that Covid cases have to be obese — no past history, no medical history, tradie in his 30s … he was not vaccinated.
“Here is an opportunity for that patient to have never met us, to never have been in an ICU bed for two weeks without his family, without his loved ones because he could have got the vaccine.”
Ms Spence shed tears as she described holding the hands of Covid patients dying alone in the ICU.
“In the past 18 months we’ve had people die in our ICU, by themselves. It’s making me emotional … patients deserve to have their families with them when they die.”
She said nurses who had never worked in the ICU are putting up their hand and working on the ward after just four days of training.
“Normally ICU training takes longer,” she said. “We’re banding together.:
Nurse Jacky Harper said the Northern Hospital in Epping is treating 70 patients in Covid wards, along with five in ICU.
She told the press conference she had seen patients go from sitting in a chair to saying goodbye in an hour.
“The patients we see coming into the hospitals are seriously, seriously ill,” she said.
“The clinical deterioration is so sudden, one minute sitting in a chair, an hour later, they could be saying their goodbyes.
“They find it difficult to breathe, some needing high levels of oxygen, ventilators and ICU support. Many regret not being vaccinated earlier.”
Ms Harper said the hospital saw “many” anti-vax patients and their families change their mind once they realised how dangerous Covid is.
But she added: “It’s too late.”
Ms Spence begged Victorians to get vaccinated as emergency wards braced for a “tough time” between now and Christmas.
“I know you’re over it,” she said. “We’re over it. It’s going to be a tough few months.”
She also revealed The Royal Melbourne Hospital was set to open another ICU ward this week, with discussions underway to fly Queensland nurses over to help.
The three people who died include a man in his 50s, a woman in her 70s and a man in his 80s, Premier Daniel Andrews said.
There are 476 people in hospital with Covid-19, 98 of whom are in intensive care, including 57 on a ventilator.
Twelve teenagers are in hospital with Covid, along with 22 in their 20s.
WHERE LATEST CASES ARE LOCATED
Covid-19 testing commander Jeroen Weimar said the latest numbers were “pretty stark”, and that healthcare workers had a sense of foreboding about the difficult months ahead.
There are currently 11,785 active cases across the state, after more than 71,000 people were tested for Covid on Saturday — a new testing record.
Up to 30 per cent of the new cases recorded were in the western suburbs including in Truganina, Point Cook and Tarneit.
In the Epping area, there were 497 cases and in the southeast, there were 236 cases in Keysborough, Frankston and Pakenham, Mr Weimar said.
Across regional areas there were 52 cases including 15 in Colac, eight in Shepparton, seven in Latrobe, four at Ararat, four at Ballarat and five in Geelong.
Mr Weimar said of the cases recorded in the last 24 hours up to 70 per cent were under the age of 40.
“We are talking about young people, largely unvaccinated young people,” he said.
At least 82.3 per cent of eligible Victorians have received their first vaccine dose and 51.9 per cent are double-jabbed.
Hume has doubled its vaccination rate, with 80 per cent of the population in the local government area now having received a first dose.
Only 5 per cent of Victoria’s Covid cases in hospital are fully vaccinated, the Premier revealed.
He also praised teens who had been “very quick” to get the jab.
PUBLIC TOILETS BAN OVERTURNED
A ban on toilets at outdoor venues, including golf courses and tennis courts, has been overturned by the Victorian Government after widespread backlash.
In a statement, the Department of Health said the changes would come into effect from 11.59pm on Monday night.
“These changes…mean toilet facilities can open while also keeping personal contact and authorised worker presence at outdoor recreation facilities to a hard minimum,” a Department of Health spokesperson said.
“The Department will communicate this to Victoria’s outdoor sporting facilities.”
Despite the government allowing them to welcome guests back on Wednesday, Melbourne’s golf and tennis clubs were told that indoor parts of their venues must remain shut, including toilets.
Golf Australia sent a memo to its all members that evening and said it would “make urgent representations to [the] government on this point as we understand full well is a significant impost.”
Royal Melbourne Golf Club captain Andrew Kirby had described the ban as a “joke” and a “breach of human rights”.
“I know the blokes can do a number one in the trees but there are lots of women playing,” he said.
“We’ve been through this opening and closing and opening again so many times that you’d think they’d get it a little more down pat. To be honest, I think the problem I see is too much microregulation of it.
SA TIGHTENS BORDER BUBBLE
South Australia has tightened its border bubble with Victoria after a Mount Gambier woman contracted coronavirus after visiting Casterton in the state’s far southwestern region.
The cross-border bubble will be reduced to 30 kilometres from 70 kilometres for at least one week because of the case.
Cross-border residents will also have to return a negative test to cross over into South Australia – and must have at least one coronavirus vaccination to travel between the two states.
Those crossing the border are also required to get tested every seven days.
The woman in her 40s – who has four teenagers – experienced symptoms on September 26 and got tested on October 1 when she returned to Mount Gambier.
She was rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with serious respiratory symptoms after her test returned positive.
Her children have also been taken to Adelaide where they are in quarantine.
“We are all hoping she pulls through but she isn’t well at the moment,” South Australia’s chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said.
Professor Spurrier described the case as a “wake-up call” for the state
MELBOURNE TO HIT DIRE PANDEMIC MILESTONE
Melbourne is on the eve of becoming the most locked down city in the world – a record 246 days.
The city will mark the dire world record on Monday when it surpasses the 245-day record held by Buenos Aires.
Melbourne tied that mark with the Argentine capital on Sunday.
But Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday hit back at the opposition for their criticism of
Melbourne’s new lockdown record.
He said they were “irrelevant” to Victoria’s Covid response and playing “political games” when they didn’t have to have any responsibility for the emergency response.
When asked for his response to Melbourne‘s record as the most locked-down city in the world, and how much responsibility he accepted, the Premier said he was proud of Victorians for all they have endured.
Mr Andrews said every death was tragic, and more would have been lost without the lockdown.
“It’s been bloody tough (for Victorians),” he said. “I’m the leader of this state.”
Read the full story here.
HOW ARGENTINA’S LOCKDOWN COMPARED
Before Melbourne claimed the crown, Buenos Aires held the dubious honour of being holed up in the world’s longest lockdown.
Its 234 consecutive day record will be shattered by 22 days if Melbourne’s lockdown ends as planned on October 26. But even if restrictions are lifted, the fallout across the Pacific Ocean warns the cure could leave deeper scars on the city than the disease itself.
Argentina shut down quickly, strictly, and repeatedly. What started as a two-week mandatory lockdown on March 20 with wide public support lingered long enough to become deeply mistrusted as excessive government overreach.
Curfews were imposed. Neighbours were encouraged to betray neighbours. Borders were closed. Tens of thousands of Argentinians were stranded overseas with no way home.
Read the full story here.
AMBOS PLEAD FOR ADF HELP
Ambulance Victoria is in talks with the Australian Defence Force, the CFA and Chevra Hatzolah – a Jewish community first responders association – for extra ambulance drivers and support staff as pandemic pressure is wrought on the Victorian health network.
The Sunday Herald Sun understands Ambulance Victoria has also called on at least one hospital, The Royal Melbourne, to admit Covid patients within 20 minutes of an ambulance arriving, to minimise the risk of paramedics potentially being exposed to the virus in a confined space.
That approach also makes more ambulances available for emergencies.
As Delta cases start climbing, retired Victorian health professionals have heeded the call to join a “surge workforce”.
Data released shows 6970 medical professionals have made themselves available to work in the hospital system for up to 12 months as part of the pandemic response.
St John Ambulance crews have also started their first weekend working with qualified paramedics on the front line.
Another 55 personnel will start their training soon in a bid to help ease staff shortages and provide support to paramedics and hospital staff.
An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said it had “recently re-established partnerships with a number of other agencies that may be able to support paramedics at the scene of emergencies if required”.
“While paramedics will always be responsible for a patient’s care, other agencies may be able to support paramedics at the scene and drive our vehicles.
“We are grateful for the support from St John Ambulance and other partner agencies to help Ambulance Victoria manage and respond to any demands that might arise as the pandemic continues.”
To ease additional non-Covid pressures, Ambulance Victoria has also launched a new medium acuity transport service (MATS), supported by 22 vehicles and 165 staff to provide care for Code 2 and 3 patients.
MATS crews are dedicated for non-urgent calls to free up ambulances to respond to the most critical cases – that’s in addition to the 114 graduate paramedics who have recently joined Ambulance Victoria, as well as about 40 student paramedics in their final year of study who are supporting ambulance crews at hospitals.
Victoria on Saturday recorded 1488 new local infections, bringing the total number of active cases across the state to 11,591.
On October 1, there were 395 Covid-19 cases in hospitals in Victoria. Eighty-seven of those cases are in intensive care, with 59 patients on a ventilator.
STUDENTS GEAR UP FOR RETURN TO SCHOOL
Victorian students are thrilled to get back into the classroom in term 4 after several weeks of remote learning.
From Monday, October 4, regional prep to year 2 students and students studying final-year subjects will return to the classroom full time.
Monday also marks the day Melbourne will set a grim pandemic world record.
More than one million Victorian students lost almost 160 days of face-to-face learning since the start of the pandemic.
Janine Mahney, from Lara, whose three children attend St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School, said her kids were “so excited” to be going back to school.
“The kids really miss their school routine, their friends and teachers, they’re really happy to be going back,” she said.
St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School, Lara, principal Natalie Heard said: “We are pleased we now have a plan for the return of all our students to onsite learning.”
“We know that the students learn best at school with their teachers and friends,” she said.
“This will also be a big boost to their wellbeing.
“The safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority and we continue to follow the advice of the health department in relation to a Covid-safe school environment.”
GRUELLING LOCKDOWNS TAKE TOLL ON GYMS
The fitness industry has been “devastated” by six gruelling lockdowns, with gyms often the last indoor setting to reopen.
Owner of Doherty’s Gym, Tony Doherty, said the impact of having near-to-no income for 18 months had been “enormous”.
“It costs us thousands of dollars a week to be shut,” he said.
“There has been some government financial assistance, but it’s nowhere near what we would normally be making.”
Mr Doherty said it had been hard to see the deterioration of mental health in his members.
“People don’t just go to gyms for the physical element,” he said.
“I think 90 per cent of my members come to the gym to look after their mental health.
“For some people it’s all they’ve got to look forward to – it holds their life together.”
Mr Doherty has recently set up a cafe at the front of his Brunswick gym to bring in some form of revenue during lockdown.
“I’ve set up a sliding window at the gym to start serving coffees and shakes to people passing by,” he said.
“Of course we’re not going to reach our normal income but it’s better than nothing.
“It’s just nice to have some sort of turnover – without that you’re very vulnerable.”
Mr Doherty said it had been “unbelievable” to see his members’ friendly faces.
“We’ve only been open for a couple of weeks and it’s been unbelievable to see the support of members,” he said.
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