Adelaide nursing home in lockdown as worker tests positive

St Louis nursing home is in lockdown after a health worker who had tended to a number of residents tested positive.

The St Louis nursing home in Adelaide is in lockdown. Picture: Thinkstock. Please note, this is not a picture of the nursing home.

An exclusive 45-resident nursing home in Adelaide’s inner suburbs has been placed in immediate and total lockdown after an aged care worker who attended to an undisclosed number of residents this week contracted coronavirus while playing a social basketball match.

The revelation came as SA recorded its highest single-day jump in coronavirus cases, with a further eight people taking the state total to 50 including a year eight student whose school is still open despite his positive test.

In an alarming scenario for elderly residents, their families and staff, the St Louis Nursing Home in the exclusive suburb of Parkside has barred all visitors and rostered on extra staff to keep the affected residents safely isolated in their rooms.

The Australian has seen the letter to families sent out by St Louis director of care Sue Toner on Thursday which paints a disturbing picture of how the virus may have been transmitted to the worker, given that SA has so far only recorded cases where people have tested positive for Covid-19 after travelling overseas or being in close proximity to those who have.

“Well, how things change in 24 hours,” the letter begins.

“An allied health worker was here Monday seeing some of our residents. She was not unwell, however she was contacted by the Department of Health Monday night to tell her a member of her basketball team who she had played a game with the previous Wednesday had tested positive to Covid-19.

“The worker was subsequently tested on Tuesday and returned a positive test on Wednesday night and is now in isolation.”

Ms Toner goes on to say that all the residents who were seen by the affected aged care worker are now confined to their rooms and unable to leave.

It does not reveal how many of the 45 residents saw the worker.

Staffing levels have been increased to create two teams, one to deal solely with the isolated residents, the other with the remaining residents.

“At this stage no-one is showing signs of illness. Monitoring will continue. If a resident becomes unwell they will be tested and transferred to hospital as per departmental guidelines,” the letter states.

“We have an excellent record of infection control and I am positive this will continue.”

But the letter tells families clearly that no-one is allowed to enter the centre.

“The nursing home is now in total lockdown. No-one in and no-one out, until further notice,” it says.

The SA Government did not comment on the specifics of the nursing home case, which is still under investigation, but Health Minister Stephen Wade said he continued to be advised there had been no cases of community transmission.

“We are yet to see community transmission in SA so now is the time for SA communities to do what will have the biggest impact on lessening the disease in the State - practising social distancing and maintaining high levels of personal and household hygiene,” Minister Wade said.

Premier Steven Marshall yesterday announced the creation of a COVID-19 Command Centre to coordinate its whole-of-government response to the coronavirus pandemic.

He also defended the fact that Unley High School had remained open despite the year eight boy testing positive, and was supported by SA Chief Health Officer Dr Nicola Nicola Spurrier who said the boy was not infectious when he was at school.

“When he did develop symptoms, his family said, ‘stay home’ – and it’s that’s an important example as the best-practice response – if you become unwell, do not go to work, stay home,” Premier Marshall said.

“Even if the likelihood is very low that it is coronavirus, if you become unwell, do not go near other people.”

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