Mercy Place Warrnambool staff member tests positive to COVID-19

Late on Tuesday afternoon Mercy Place Warrnambool service manager Toni Cuthbertson sent an email to residents and families saying all residents remained well and were not showing any symptoms of COVID-19.

"Please be aware that the Mercy Place Warrnambool staff member who tested positive to COVID-19 last worked on Thursday 2 December and had very limited contact with residents or others in the home," Ms Cuthbertson wrote.

"Visitors are not required to test or isolate. We hope this provides some reassurance to families and friends."

On Tuesday cleaners conducted a deep clean of affected areas of the Coolock and Frayne wings of the home.

Staff in the affected wings would continue to wear full PPE, including gloves, gowns, N95 masks and eye protection, and staff in other areas would wear N95 masts and eye protection.

The home remained closed to visitors and Ms Cuthbertson wrote she would continue to provide regular updates whilst it remained closed.

Earlier:

Mass testing was conducted at Warrnambool's Mercy Place aged care facility on Monday after a staff member tested positive to COVID-19.

General manager Toni Cuthbertson wrote to patients, family and staff members on Monday to advise them of the positive case, which staff became aware of late Sunday.

All staff and residents were tested onsite on Monday by the Barwon Health Public Health Unit and Ms Cuthbertson said affected areas would be deep cleaned.

She said the centre had taken precautions to minimise the spread of infection, with residents forced to isolate in their rooms or remain in their home or particular wing of the centre.

Mercy Place was closed to visitors on Monday and will remained closed until further notice.

IN OTHER NEWS:

"As a precaution, and in line with Commonwealth and State outbreak management guidance, we have temporarily closed our home to visitors," Ms Cuthbertson said in the letter.

"Late yesterday, we were informed that a Mercy Place Warrnambool staff member has tested positive to COVID-19.

"At this stage, all residents are well and no one is displaying any symptoms of COVID-19," she said.

"We will be taking precautions to minimise the spread of infection at our home.

"This includes requiring residents in the Coolock and Frayne wings to isolate in their rooms until further advice. All other residents will need to remain in their own house or wing of the home."

There was no information in the letter about the days or times of exposure or advice to anyone who had visited the centre in recent days.

Ms Cuthbertson said most residents were vaccinated, and all staff were fully vaccinated.

She apologised for the short notice about testing but said it had to be done quickly.

"The sooner we can get testing done the sooner we will get results back. We will share the results with you via written update as soon as we can," she said.

Ms Cuthbertson said all staff would have to wear N95 masks and eye protection and staff in the Coolock and Frayne wings would also be wearing gloves and gowns.

"Can I please ask that residents' primary contacts please pass this advice on to other family and friends so that they are also aware that we will not be open to visitors, effective immediately."

Ms Cuthbertson said she would continue to keep centre staff, families and residents updated with more information to be released to them on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the source of five new COVID-19 cases identified in the region on Monday are under investigation.

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