Five Barwon Health staff, one contractor have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past fortnight
Multiple Barwon Health staff have tested positive to COVID-19 over the past fortnight, including some acquired at work. It comes amid claims of insufficient PPE supplies across Victoria.
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Five Barwon Health staff and one contractor have tested positive to COVID-19 over the past fortnight.
Barwon Health had previously gone three months with no positive tests among staff.
Spokeswoman Kate Bibby said the staff members and contractor were in isolation at home and being supported by Barwon Health.
“The contact tracing team have identified all close contacts in the workplace and in the community,” Ms Bibby said.
“Some of these cases have been acquired at work and some in the community.”
It comes as the Department of Health and Human Services on Monday said there were 1065 active coronavirus cases among healthcare workers in Victoria.
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) said the spike in cases in Victoria was of “significant concern” and claimed insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies and training were fuelling the rise.
The RACP is now lobbying government to commit to reducing the number of work-acquired infections in the sector to zero.
“That number of healthcare workers who have become infected is unacceptable,” RACP president John Wilson said on Monday.
“If we use the right PPE in the right settings, the numbers of healthcare workers infected will reduce dramatically.
“We believe that with appropriate PPE that number should be zero.”
Professor Wilson’s comments follow a survey of college members that found 20 per cent of those working at public hospitals were having to bring their own PPE to work.
A further 39 per cent of college members said they hadn’t had any recent training about how to use the equipment properly.
But Premier Daniel Andrews disputed the claims, stating there was “no issue” with Victoria’s medical stockpile.
“The distribution network is, I think, working well,” Mr Andrews said.
“But no system’s perfect.
“There might also be some communication challenges at that hospital level too, just to make sure that staff have got every sense that whatever they need, they’ll get.”
A total of 1065 healthcare workers were confirmed to have the virus on Monday, with the number of active cases more than doubling in the past two weeks.
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Originally published as Five Barwon Health staff, one contractor have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past fortnight