Royal Hobart Hospital worker from oncology ward contracts Covid-19
The Royal Hobart Hospital worked who tested positive to Covid-19 had been working on the oncology ward with many cancer patients now being asked to isolate for 14 days. LATEST >>
Coronavirus
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December 27, 6am: SOME of Tasmania’s most vulnerable patients have been exposed to Covid-19 after a worker at the Royal Hobart Hospital tested positive to the disease on Christmas Eve.
Families and staff have been told the staff member had been working on the oncology ward early last week.
The Mercury understands that after the staff member’s positive test, some patients with cancer had been told to isolate for 14 days – news they received on Christmas Day.
It is also understood at least one of the cancer patients has been unable to complete their Covid vaccine course because of their illness.
The Department of Health would not disclose exactly how many staff and patients were asked to isolate, but said as of 2pm on Sunday, no others had returned a positive test since the worker’s condition was confirmed.
A number of patients are being closely monitored.
“As a precautionary measure, all patients who were present in the same place as the staff member during their infectious period are being managed as close contacts,” southern regional health commander Stephen Ayre said.
“These patients have all returned negative Covid-19 tests today, four or five days since any potential exposure.”
Staff have been identified as close and casual contacts.
“The majority of colleagues who worked the same shifts as the positive case will be managed as casual contacts,” Dr Ayre said.
“This means they will be able to continue to work wearing appropriate PPE, with the requirement they are tested five days post-exposure.”
He said the hospital’s response had allowed it to continue operating with minimal disruption.
“Infection prevention and control measures, including contact tracing, testing of staff and patients, additional cleaning and use of additional PPE have been deployed over the past two days,” Dr Ayre said.
“Any visitors to the exposed areas of the hospital during the times the positive case worked have been assessed as either low or low-moderate risk.
“At this time, we would ask that these people monitor themselves for symptoms and get tested should they develop.”
Tasmania recorded 44 new cases on Sunday, bringing the total to 160.
Of those, only one is in hospital, but Premier Peter Gutwein had previously said their admission was because of a fall.
EARLIER – December 26, 3.30pm: NO other Royal Hobart Hospital staff or patients have returned a positive Covid test since a worker was confirmed to be Covid-positive on Christmas Eve, the Health Department says.
Patients who have been identified as close contacts are being closely monitored, southern regional health commander Stephen Ayre said.
“As a precautionary measure, all patients who were present in the same place as the
staff member during their infectious period are being managed as close contacts,” Dr Ayre said.
“These patients have all returned negative Covid-19 tests today, four or five days
since any potential exposure.
“These patients will continue to be closely monitored.”
Numerous staff have also been identified as close and casual contacts.
“The majority of colleagues who worked the same shifts as the positive case will be
managed as casual contacts,” Dr Ayre said.
“This means they will be able to continue to work wearing appropriate PPE, with the requirement that they are tested five days post-exposure.”
Dr Ayre said the hospital’s response had allowed it to continue operating with minimal disruption.
“Infection prevention and control measures, including contract tracing, testing of staff
and patients, additional cleaning, and use of additional PPE, have been deployed
over the past two days,” Dr Ayre said.
“Any visitors to the exposed areas of the hospital during the times the positive case
worked, have been assessed as either low or low-moderate risk.
“At this time, we would ask that these people monitor themselves for symptoms and get tested should they develop.”
Tassie Covid-19 cases continue to climb, with new spike
Sunday December 26, 10.25am:
Forty-four new cases of Covid have been recorded in Tasmania, bringing the state’s active infection tally to 160.
Eighty-six of the cases are being managed with the Covid@Home program, while 33 are being managed at the Community Case Management Facility.
One person with a Covid infection is currently in hospital, although they were admitted for a different medical condition.
Over the past 24 hours, 2078 Covid tests were conducted in Tasmania.
In a social media statement, the Department of Health confirmed 37 active cases were still being assessed by Public Health or processed for care.
Royal Hobart Hospital worker contracts Covid-19
Saturday December 25, 6am:
An employee at the Royal Hobart Hospital has tested positive for Covid-19, Tasmania’s health authorities have confirmed.
Tasmania has recorded 33 new Covid-19 cases on Christmas Day taking the total of active cases in the state to 113.
Sixty-four of the cases are being managed using the COVID@Home program while another 29 are being managed using the Community Case Management Facility.
Eighteen active cases are still being assessed by Public Health or processed for care, according to a social media statement.
Dr Stephen Ayre, Acting Chief Executive Hospitals South and Southern Regional Health Commander and Prof Tony Lawler, Chief Medical Officer and THSEOC Commander said in a join statement the response would focus on further limiting any risk to staff or patients.
“The Royal Hobart Hospital has stood up an Incident Management Team, which is prioritising testing staff and patients who may have been exposed to the positive case,” the statement read.
“All appropriate precautionary measures are in place.”
“All employees at the RHH wear appropriate PPE and follow Infection Prevention and Control protocols whilst in the hospital setting.
“There have been no breaches of the use of PPE identified.
The statement said all employees at the RHH have received have had at least two Covid-19 vaccinations.
“These factors significantly minimise the risk of exposure and transmission,” the statement said.
“The areas that the employee has worked prior to testing positive have been identified and contained.”
Additional cleaning and PPE has been rolled out in the areas where the employee worked.
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