Aged care home resident diagnosed in testing blitz

A testing blitz following news that a coronavirus-positive health worker had spent time at three nursing homes in the North-West has uncovered an infected resident.

A WOMAN from a Devonport aged care home has tested positive for coronavirus, after 500 tests were conducted on residents and staff at three facilities.

The 79-year-old who is a resident at the Melaleuca facility at East Devonport has been transferred to the Launceston General Hospital for treatment.

The testing blitz followed news last week that a coronavirus-positive health worker had spent time at three nursing homes in the North-West.

The other two facilities — Eliza Purton, at Ulverstone, and Coroneagh Park, at Penguin — did not record any positive cases.

Premier Peter Gutwein said the outcome was “bittersweet”.

“On one hand it’s reassuring in that there has only been one positive case identified,” he said.

“On the other, though, obviously we have an individual that has contracted this insidious disease.”

The Coroneagh Park aged care facility in Penguin.

Mr Gutwein said 22 staff at Melaleuca would be assessed and quarantined if necessary.

Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said his latest advice was that the woman was “not unduly unwell” but he said she needed to be monitored closely so her condition did not decline.

“It’s very important that people in their 70s and 80s are watched very closely,” he said.

Dr Veitch said the initial number of people identified as close contacts of the woman could increase as investigations continued. If more close contacts were determined, staff would be furloughed and quarantined for 14 days.

This would create pressure on staffing and reinforcements were already being brought in, he said. Public Health Services would provide advice to the care home on infection control and cleaning processes.

Public Health Director Dr Mark Veitch said the infected woman was “not unduly unwell”. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

Dr Veitch said the other two homes would continue checking for illness.

Respect Aged Care — which operates Eliza Purton and Coroneagh Park — said 60 staff were still in isolation.

“Obviously, this is not the time to relax, and I want to assure our residents and their families that we will leave no stone unturned to ensure the ongoing safety of our communities at both facilities,” chief executive Jason Binder said.