Baby at Canberra Hospital among ACT's 28 new COVID-19 cases, as Calvary Haydon aged care facility records another death - ABC News

The ACT has recorded 28 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, and an additional death.

Key points:

• A baby in Canberra Hospital's special care nursery has tested positive to COVID-19
• A woman in her 70s who was receiving end of life care at the Calvary Haydon aged care centre died overnight
• The ACT has reached 95 per cent first dose vaccine coverage 

A woman in her 70s who was receiving end of life care at the Calvary Haydon aged care centre died overnight.

"This brings the number of lives lost due to COVID-19 to six for this outbreak," Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said.

"On behalf of the government and the ACT community, I extend my deepest sympathies and love to this person's family and friends — it's a very difficult time."

Of the 28 cases announced today, five were infectious in the community; 11 people were in quarantine for their entire infectious period.

19 cases are linked, and nine remain under early investigation.

There are currently 16 people in hospital with the virus, with seven people in intensive care and four requiring ventilation.

Baby in special care nursery tests positive to COVID-19

A baby in the special care nursery at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children tested positive for COVID-19 overnight.(

ABC News: Ian Cutmore

)

A baby in the special care nursery at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children was among those who tested positive for COVID-19.

Ms Stephen-Smith said the baby had been in the hospital for "some time" and became symptomatic overnight.

She said that all family members are being tested, and the hospital was working to contact other families who were recently discharged from the nursery.

She added that the COVID exposure team was conducting a risk assessment this morning, but people should feel safe to attend Canberra Hospital if required. 

"Canberrans can... absolutely feel safe again to attend hospital, should they require that level of care," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"And again, this is something that our Canberra Hospital and Canberra Health Services [staff] have done many times now, as we've seen positive cases of COVID-19 identified within the hospital setting."

The interim CEO of Canberra Health Services, Dave Peffer, said that while there was not a "known source of transmission," the entire special care nursery had not been impacted.

"The special care nursery is one of the few places in the hospital where we do have special visitation arrangements in place," he said.

"The way [it] is set up at the moment is in a couple of parts, and so this hasn't impacted the whole nursery, pleasingly. It's impacted a part of it, and that part of it we've now obviously ceased visitation."

The baby has been moved to the pediatric medical ward, which is one of Canberra Hospital's dedicated COVID wards.

Ms Stephen-Smith stressed the importance of getting vaccinated for those who can.

"I think what [this] really points to is the importance of ensuring that children in our community who are not currently able to be vaccinated are surrounded as much as possible by adults who are vaccinated and older siblings who are vaccinated," she said.

ACT reaches 95 per cent first dose vaccination

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith says 95 per cent of territorians have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.(

ABC News: Ian Cutmore

)

Ms Stephen-Smith also confirmed today that 95 per cent of Canberrans aged 12 and over have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

66 per cent of ACT residents are now fully vaccinated, with the ACT expected to reach 70 per cent vaccine coverage this week.

Ms Stephen-Smith described reaching the milestone as an "outstanding outcome for our community".

"It's really, really positive that Canberrans are not only protecting their own health, but looking after each other as well," she said.

Disability sector 'disrespected' by exclusion from mandatory vaccine plan

Following yesterday's announcement that vaccines would be made mandatory for all aged care workers, some employed in the disability sector were left feeling "disrespected".

Business development manager for QuestCare, Bill Aldcroft, said the exclusion of disability workers from this mandate sent a message that they weren't as valuable as other members of the healthcare community.

"It was downgrading the importance of their work by not including them in with other frontline workers," he said.

Mr Aldcroft said including disability support workers under the proposed vaccine mandate "would just bring us in line with the rest of the healthcare community in Australia".

The disability sector says it should be included in the ACT's plans to make vaccines mandatory for healthcare workers.(

ABC News: Aneeta Bhole

)

Today, Ms Stephen-Smith said the ACT government was looking into options for mandating vaccines for disability workers, but believed it was a Commonwealth responsibility.

She said the Commonwealth should screen disability workers as a part of the national disability insurance scheme to ensure they are fully vaccinated. 

""The ACT has maintained … that the Commonwealth should be considering using its own regulatory power through the national disability insurance scheme … to include a requirement for workers to be vaccinated, particularly those who work in high-risk settings," she said.

"Unfortunately the Commonwealth has steadfastly completely refused to even consider using its own regulatory power to take this step. So ACT officials are considering what options are available to us."

The territory will soon enter its eighth week of lockdown, which is due to lift on October 15.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiUWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTEwLTA2L2FjdC1yZWNvcmRzLTI4LW5ldy1jb3ZpZDE5LWNhc2VzLzEwMDUxNjc5MtIBKGh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMDA1MTY3OTI?oc=5

2021-10-06 00:55:50Z
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