By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Covid-19 has infected residents and staff at a second nursing home in Greater Dandenong as the council area recorded a spike of 20 new daily cases.
Nine Covid-positive residents are among the 14 cases linked to Mercy Place Dandenong.
They have been placed in a quarantined area of the home and cared for a dedicated team of staff, a Mercy Place Dandenong spokesperson said.
Three staff and two contacts have also been infected since the first case was discovered on 28 July.
As of 14 August, the outbreak at Outlook Gardens aged-care home had spread to 40 residents. Of the 108 infected, there were 56 staff and 12 contacts.
There are now 2038 infections linked to more than 140 Victorian aged care facilities.
Most of the state’s 289-and-climbing death toll have been aged care residents.
In the 24 hours up to 14 August, Greater Dandenong’s Covid cases rose by 20 to 352.
Its active cases stand at a record-high 206 for the council area, up by eight in the past day.
In neighbouring Casey, there were 32 new cases for a cumulative total of 729. Its active cases are 370, up 16.
Cases also rose in Frankston (up 10), Cardinia (eight), Monash (three) and Kingston (one). Knox had no new cases, and a drop of two active cases to 65.
Statewide, Victoria recorded 372 new cases and 14 deaths, including a man in his 20s and 12 aged-care residents.
A Mercy Place spokesperson said all relevant health and aged care authorities, staff, residents and families were immediately informed after the first positive case.
The home was deep cleaned, residents and staff promptly Covid-tested and re-tested – which uncovered the further positive cases, the spokesperson said.
Stringent infection control processes were put in place, including staff wearing full personal protection equipment (PPE) and more frequent, intensive cleans.
Visitors have been banned, except in exceptional circumstances.
Residents confined to their rooms except those with dementia in the home’s Memory Support Unit. They are regularly visited by pastoral carers and staff wearing full PPE with activities and conversation.
They are kept in touch with loved ones with phone and Zoom video calls.
“Our residents also have multiple daily physical health and emotional wellbeing checks so we can detect any physical or behavioural changes early,” the spokesperson said.
A “conservative” approach was taken for the return-to-work timing of Covid-positive staff.
“We will continue this cycle of testing and retesting until there is no trace of the virus in our home and we are cleared by health and aged care authorities to stand down from our outbreak response.
“This is an anxious time for residents and families but we are doing all we can to minimise the risk of further infection and, importantly, to provide the best possible care – both physical and emotional – for all residents in our home.”
