Two Sydney hospitals on high alert after a nurse and patient test positive to coronavirus
Two of Sydney's major hospitals are on high alert after a nurse and a patient were diagnosed with COVID-19.
A pregnant patient at Liverpool Hospital, in Sydney's southwest, was diagnosed on Wednesday after undergoing a procedure.
The hospital cancelled elective surgery to deep clean the operating theatre and contact tracing is underway with close contacts - including staff - being tested and isolating for 14 days, NSW Health says.
A nurse who worked at Westmead Hospital in the COVID-19 ward has also tested positive to the virus but there were no cases linked to the health worker so far, the ABC reports.
The staff member was said to be fully vaccinated and wearing full protective equipment.
Meanwhile, three regional towns have been added to the state's list of exposure sites overnight. NSW Health has identified venues of concern in South Gundagai, Jindera and Hay after they were visited by a positive case.
It comes after a case was identified in Goulburn earlier this week when an infected painter travelled from Fairfield in Sydney’s southwest to work on a building site.
Greater Sydney's lockdown extendedFive million NSW residents are facing at least another fortnight of lockdown after sustained high daily coronavirus numbers forced the state government to extend stay-at-home measures.
The state is on tenterhooks and waiting for the daily infection rates to drop to show the lockdown is finally working, after 97 new cases were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday.
Thirty-one cases were circulating in the community while infectious, with Premier Gladys Berejiklian saying that number needs to be close to zero before the lockdown can end.
Numbers continue to rise in southwest Sydney and a new 24-hour COVID-19 testing clinic has now opened at Fairfield after people were forced to wait up to six hours in long queues at another venue.
The rush to testing in Fairfield came after the state government on Tuesday announced new restrictions for essential workers in the area, who will soon have get tested every three days if they work outside the area.
Given the ongoing number of infectious cases in the community, the current lockdown will be extended for at least another two weeks until 11:59pm on Friday, 30 July. pic.twitter.com/xQxO8MieH6
â€" NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 14, 2021The state and federal governments earlier this week also announced an extensive financial support package for workers and businesses.
The package includes more than $17.5 million for key organisations that support the mental health of Australians, including Lifeline, the Kids Helpline, Headspace and beyondblue.
With outbreaks across Australia already prompting a 25 per cent increase to Lifeline's helpline, chairman John Brogden says the money will help the service accommodate the surge.
"With a sudden rise in COVID-19 cases and subsequent lockdown for people in Greater Sydney, we know there will be an increasing number of people who will struggle with isolation, separation from family and heightened anxiety," he said.
"We want to reassure every individual that we are here for you, 24/7 on 13 11 14."
With reporting by SBS News
0 Response to "Two Sydney hospitals on high alert after a nurse and patient test positive to coronavirus"
Post a Comment