Coronavirus NSW: St Vincent’s Hospital nurse among three new COVID cases
An inner city hospital in Sydney has issued an alert to staff after a casual nurse returned a positive COVID-19 result. It comes as NSW Health revealed a further two venues and public transport hot spots where confirmed cases visited while possibly infectious.
NSW
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A nurse at an inner city hospital is among two new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in NSW.
One person in hotel quarantine has also tested positive.
The casual worker did one shift at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney while infected. She provided specialised care to a single patient, and had some contact with colleagues, NSW Health said in a media alert on Friday evening.
Her infection was counted towards Saturday’s batch of cases because the reporting by NSW Health is done by 24-hour periods from 8pm before each announcement.
On Saturday afternoon, NSW Health updated its public alert to include the Squeeze & Grind in Camden and Narellan Town Centre after confirmed cases were revealed to have visited those places while infectious.
Anyone who attended the cafe on October 7 (from 11.45am-1.15pm) or the shopping centre on October 8 (from 12.30pm-2pm) is considered a close contact and must monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if they exhibit any signs of the virus.
People who travelled on the following public transport lines should also look out for symptoms.
* Train from Eastwood at 8.15am arriving Parramatta 8.49 on 6 October
* Train from Parramatta at 4.50pm arriving Eastwood 5.21pm on 6 October
* Train from Eastwood at 8.14am arriving Parramatta 8.49am on 7 October
* Train from Eastwood at 12.18pm arriving Kings Cross 1.07pm on 7 October
* Train from Parramatta at 4.31pm arriving Central 5.02pm on 7 October
* Train from Central at 6.05pm arriving Eastwood 6.36pm on 7 October
* Train from Kings Cross at 9.35pm arriving Eastwood 10.34pm on 7 October
The state health authority has also advised people who visited the following places to monitor for symptoms:
* Westfield Parramatta – 6 October, 12.00pm-12.15pm
* Westfield Parramatta – 7 October, 12.00pm-12.30pm & 4.30-5.00pm
* Palm Beach Fish & Chips, Barrenjoey Rd Palm Beach – 5 October, 3.45pm to 4.00pm
* S-mart Eastwood, Rowe St Eastwood – 5 October, 7.30pm to 7.45pm
* Aldi Eastwood – 6 October, 11.00am-12.00pm
NSW Health also continues to urge anyone who visited Fitness First in Carlingford in the morning of October 3, or the Ripples restaurant in Milsons Point that same evening, to immediately self-isolate and get tested for COVID-19.
This week’s surge in cases came after a 12-day streak with no new community transmission, a lucky spell that ended on Wednesday when new cases started stacking up.
MELBOURNE HOSPITAL OUTBREAK DOUBLES
Infections connected to an outbreak at a Melbourne hospital have more than doubled.
Victoria’s chief health officer professor Brett Sutton revealed on Saturday the cluster at the Box Hill Hospital in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs had grown to 10 cases.
“There are five cases from a family being added today, so the outbreak comprises three staff, one patient and now six household contacts,” he told reporters on Saturday morning.
All close contacts of the Box Hill staff have been quarantined, with all staff in the hospital’s COVID ward asked to get tested and isolate pending those results.
Prof Sutton said contact tracers were still investigating the source of the outbreak, which first came to light on Wednesday.
It comes as the Premier revealed a grim lockdown warning for Melburnians after the state recorded 14 more infections on Saturday.
“The tale of this second wave was always going to be stubborn and that is exactly the way it is panning out. I think it unlikely that we will be able to move as fast as we would like to have done next Sunday,” Daniel Andrews said.
“We will take steps next Sunday, and (we) will spend an enormous amount of time this weekend and throughout the week determining exactly what those next steps can be.”
BUNNINGS SAUSAGE SIZZLE REOPENS
The iconic weekend Bunnings sausage sizzle has returned after being suspended in March because of COVID-19.
This weekend saw the socially-distanced reinstatement of the much loved, community staple.
Bunnings chief operating officer, Deb Poole, said: “We know community groups and customers in NSW and the ACT are keen to see community sausage sizzles return and we’re really excited to be bringing them back in a way that will keep everyone safe.
“We’ve had phenomenal customer feedback in states where we’ve brought the fundraisers back and community groups have done an incredible job prioritising customer safety with the new physically distanced layouts and additional hygiene measures.”
ONE NEW COVID CASE IN QUEENSLAND
Queensland has recorded one new case of coronavirus on Saturday.
A man in his 20s in hotel quarantine contracted the disease, one of four active cases across the state.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles told reporters on Saturday authorities had discovered “concerning” results when testing wastewater for coronavirus in Townsville.
“For the first time, we have had positive results in the sewage being tested in Townsville, and so we will be working with the Townsville Hospital and health service to just increase our testing rate there, try to work out if there is a case or cases in or around Townsville that we are unaware of, and that have been picked up in that wastewater testing,” Mr Miles said.
Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeanette Young maintained hotel quarantine processes had so far protected Queenslanders from the virus.
“We know there are people coming from higher risk environments you need to come into Queensland for many, many different reasons. So we need to use that hotel quarantine,” she told reporters on Saturday morning.
“We know that is what led to that rapid control back in March. You might remember, back in March, we were seeing up to 86 new cases per day.
“We needed to do something to get on top of that and we did. And hotel quarantine was one of the major successful initiatives that led to us getting control.”
ALERTS FOR NEW SYDNEY VENUES
NSW Health is advising anyone who visited the following locations to monitor closely for symptoms after confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported at each.
– Palm Beach Fish & Chips on Barrenjoey Rd, Palm Beach on October 5 between 3.45pm to 4.00pm.
– S-mart Eastwood on Rowe St Eastwood on October 5 between 7.30pm to 7.45pm
– Aldi Eastwood on October 6 between 11.00am-12.00pm.
Those who attended the venues at the above times are considered casual contacts but must get tested immediately should symptoms occur.
The new cases will be reflected in tomorrow’s numbers and contract tracing is underway.
VICTORIA RECORDS 14 MORE COVID CASES, NO NEW DEATHS
Victoria has recorded 14 new virus cases and no new deaths on Saturday, with fears lockdown could now be extended as figures remain in the double-digits.
Melbourne’s all-important 14-day virus average increased by 0.1 to 9.5, and is still hovering too far above the safe threshold.
Health authorities have implored the 14-day average must be around five for the Government to consider easing restrictions on October 19.
The Doherty Research Institute said the chances of reaching an average five COVID-19 cases by mid-October were under 50 per cent.
Regional Victoria‘s 14-day average is 0.4.
Originally published as Coronavirus NSW: St Vincent’s Hospital nurse among three new COVID cases
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