Coronavirus cases in Australia continue to rise in health and aged care facilities

The pattern emerging in virus clusters in VIC and NSW will be worrying for authorities, given what we know about who is at risk of severe COVID-19.

A toddler and an aged care worker are among  the latest confirmed cases of COVID-19 in NSW in a worrying sign for officials. 

Australia recorded its highest ever day for coronavirus cases on Wednesday with 484 in Victoria alone, more than in the whole of the UK, which saw 445 confirmed positive lab tests.

Of those, a significant portion were found to be in aged care and health facilities.

In Victoria some of the key outbreaks listed by the state’s health department include 69 cases linked to St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Fawkner. Another 54 cases have been tied to Estia Health in Ardeer, while 37 cases have been linked to Glendale Aged Care facility in Werribee and 30 come from Arcare Aged Care in Craigieburn. Another 61 cases have been linked to Sommerville Retail Services in Tottenham with 47 cases linked to JBS in Brooklyn.

In NSW, 16 new cases were confirmed on Wednesday with three major clusters linked to Victorian strains of the disease. One of the most recent includes a toddler at the Good Start Anna Bay child care  childcare centre in Port Stephens amid fears a cluster is developing in the town. A staff member at a Sydney Inner West aged care facility also tested positive to COVID-19 after dining at the Thai Rock restaurant. 

Sydney Local Health district said the risk for residents at Ashfield Baptist Homes is low because the  worker wore wore masks, gloves and gowns but staff and residents are being tested.

“The risk to other staff and residents is considered to be very low as the staff member wore masks, gloves and gowns when working with residents and did not work while symptomatic,” a statement from Sydney Local Health District said.

“Ashfield Baptist Homes is closed to all visitors pending test results.”

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Large crowds wait to be tested at a clinic in Bondi. Picture: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images.

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The Australian health department website states that while every individual is different, those who are more likely to suffer severe illness from COVID-19 include those aged over 70, who have had organ transplants, bone marrow transplants or any kind of cancer treatment. In addition to that, smoking, age, being male and poverty also increases risk of contracting a severe version of the virus.

It comes as Melbourne hospitals order in new stocks of ventilators to boost capacity to save the most critical patients.

The Herald Sun reports Royal Melbourne Hospital received 22 new ventilators this week and will boost intensive care capacity by around one third.

Meanwhile The Courier Mail reports Queensland borders could clamp shut again with Sydney potentially declared a virus hotspot by police in the state if cases continue to rise.

“There is no way that more hot spots are not going to be declared, and all of Sydney would definitely be a consideration given what’s happening down there,” a senior police source told the publication.

“If the situation continues to deteriorate over the next week, I honestly don’t see how we wouldn’t look at closing the border entirely.”