EXCLUSIVE Coronavirus outbreaks have spread through two more emergency departments at Melbourne hospitals, causing more than 50 frontline healthcare workers to be sidelined
Coronavirus outbreaks have spread through two more emergency departments at major Melbourne hospitals, causing more than 50 frontline healthcare workers to be sidelined after potential exposure to the virus.
The head of emergency at Melbourne's St Vincent's Hospital was forced to self-isolate after a face-to-face job interview with a candidate who was infected with the virus. The doctor has since tested negative.Two senior nurses in the emergency department at The Royal Melbourne Hospital have tested positive to the virus along with two frontline emergency workers at Sunshine Hospital in the city's west.
That outbreak has also forced at least two dozen hospital staff into quarantine while they await test results. Northern Hospital has repeatedly declined to comment further on the outbreak."Out of an abundance of caution Andrew immediately self-isolated and was also tested for COVID-19," a hospital spokeswoman said. "Andrew's results have now come through and he has tested negative for COVID-19.
Australian Medical Association Victorian president Julian Rait said he is growing increasingly worried about how the state's healthcare system will cope with a surge in demand brought on by rising coronavirus cases if doctors and nurses are sidelined due to outbreaks in emergency departments. Professor Rait said it was critical that hospitals consider bringing in the mandatory use of surgical masks in clinical areas at all times for staff and visitors.Under new advice, staff in clinical areas are required to wear a mask at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Northern Hospital, the Austin and The Alfred hospital.
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