Fears over new aged-care cluster as specialists intervene

A new coronavirus cluster has been identified at a nursing home in Melbourne’s east, as federal investigators provide support.

Victorias Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton. Picture: Getty Images.

A new coronavirus cluster has been identified at a nursing home in Melbourne’s east, while the ­operator of a western Sydney aged-care facility where 12 residents have died has conceded some mistakes were made in the handling of the outbreak.

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Brett Sutton, said on Thursday there had been an outbreak of COVID-19 at the Hawthorn Grange aged-care facility.

“I think we’ll get on top of that. We’ve identified those additional cases and tested across the board for residents and staff,” he told 3AW in Melbourne.

The cause of the outbreak is under investigation and Victoria’s Minister for Ageing, Luke Donnellan, said government specialists were providing support to the privately owned facility.

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Victoria rose by seven on Thursday, bringing the state’s total to 1361. The state’s death toll remains at 18.

Three more residents from the Newmarch facility in Sydney’s western suburbs have tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total number infected to 37.

The death toll at the nursing home reached 12 on Wednesday.

A statement issued by Anglicare Sydney said the organisation continued to work closely with NSW Public Health Unit and an infectious disease specialist to investigate the outbreak.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian welcomed intervention by the federal aged-care regulator into the outbreak at the home in Caddens.

“It’s fair to say some aged-care facilities are dealing with this issue better than others,” the NSW Premier said on Thursday. “I welcome the federal quality assurance body to intervene in the matter.”

On Wednesday night, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner Janet Anderson confirmed the regulator had intervened at Newmarch House, which is operated by Anglicare Sydney. Its chief executive, Grant Millard, accepted ­criticisms of the facility following complaints from devastated family members of its handling of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“There has been criticism that Anglicare Sydney has not been communicating with the families,” Mr Millard said.

“To an extent, this is true. We have been under extreme ­pressure.”

But he said Anglicare had sent out at least one email a day to family members of all residents at Newmarch House since the ­outbreak on Easter Sunday.