Seven Geelong aged care homes were battling Covid outbreaks as of last week, one ongoing

Six Geelong aged care homes have beaten Covid outbreaks in the past week, a new federal government report has revealed, while one still fights to shake its cases.

Multiple aged care homes in the region have been struck by Covid, federal government data has revealed.

The government’s latest report detailing aged care homes with active outbreaks, released on Friday, listed a number of local facilities.

Covid had been detected at facilities including Alan David Lodgeand Luson The Vue in Grovedale,Multicultural Aged Care Services (MACS) Geelong in North Geelong, Ocean Mist Aged Care in Torquay, Tannoch Brae in St Albans Park and The Belmont in Belmont, the document said.

Tannoch Brae Aged Care battled a Covid outbreak. Picture: Mark Wilson

Barwon Health spokeswoman Kate Bibby on Tuesday said there was currently one aged care facility with an outbreak in Barwon South West region.

It’s understood that facility was Alan David Lodge.

She said Barwon Health’s public health unit supported all outbreaks in high-risk settings, including residential aged care, both public and private.

“Our support includes rapid access to testing, infection prevention advice, and assistance with vaccination if needed,” she said.

MACS chief executive Joy Leggo said the facility was currently Covid free.

“All residents and staff have recovered, no one was hospitalised and all only experienced mild symptoms,” she said.

“This is the second outbreak MACS has had, the first one was also contained to five residents with no one hospitalised.”

She said this was testament to the strong infection control practices at MACS and protocols that had been put in place in keep everyone safe for the last two years.

A Covid outbreak at Opal South Valley, now known as Highton Gardens Care Community, claimed the lives of eight residents in 2020.

A resident from The Belmont who had contracted Covid died in November last year after an outbreak emerged at the facility in October.

Meanwhile, 272 new Covid cases were reported for Greater Geelong and 18 for the Surf Coast on Tuesday.

Colac-Otway recorded 27 new cases, Golden Plains 49 and the Borough of Queenscliffe three.

Victoria recorded 6786 new cases and 14 deaths.

Originally published as Seven Geelong aged care homes were battling Covid outbreaks as of last week, one ongoing