COVID-19 cases close Coronavirus cases radiology clinic double in Frankston
Picture: Gary Sissons
Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au
New visitor restrictions at hospital PENINSULA Health has revised its visiting rules to help stop the spread of coronavirus. Visitors are no longer permitted to enter the Intensive Care Unit, Acute Medical Surgical Unit and Ward 5GN at Frankston Hospital. Peninsula Health CEO Felicity Topp
said in a social media announcement that “with increasing numbers of patients coming into the organisation we are concerned for your safety and our staff’s safety.” “We’ve made a very tough decision about ceasing all visitors to areas where we do have COVID-19 positive
patients. I know this is extremely difficult for people and we do understand, therefore we will try and facilitate conversation, discussions, and updates of patients’ conditions using technology that we can provide to you and your loved one while they are in hospital.”
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THE I-MED radiology clinic in Frankston has closed after staff members tested positive to COVID-19. A joint statement issued last week by I-MED Radiology CEO Dr Shrey Viranna and Chief Medical Officer Dr Ron Shnier read that “a number of our employees at Frankston Radiology have tested positive for COVID-19.” “We have worked with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure any patients who had experienced close contact with the employees were notified. In addition all employees who had experienced close contact have self isolated for 14 days and have been tested before recommencing work,” the statement read. “As an essential healthcare service provider, I-MED Radiology is committed to maintaining our services to practitioners and patients during the current coronavirus pandemic. Our priority is also ensuring the safety of all patients and our clinical staff. To this end we are following all guidelines issued by the Australian Department of Health for healthcare environments. “Our procedure is to close the clinic while we conduct a full sanitisation and disinfection of the facility, at which point it will reopen and resume providing vital patient services.” The statement read that “given the current environment an increasing number of healthcare workers will test positive to COVID-19 in the coming months.”
Police patrol
A POLICE operation has been set up to enforce containment measures brought in to help halt the spread of COVID-19. Police operation Sentinel has been set up to conduct spot checks on returning travellers, and enforce gathering bans. 500 police officers have been dedicated to the operation. Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said “for police, it’s not just about fines or arrests but ensuring everyone in the community understands the serious risks associated with coronavirus and the importance of complying with the directions from the Chief Health Officer.” “People can be issued with an official warning,
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Frankston Times
7 April 2020
FRANKSTON Woolworths will operate under reduced hours to help provide home deliveries. The Frankston branch will become a “priority delivery hub” and be open from 9am - 6pm each day. Woolworths managing director Claire Peters said the extra hours would be used to catch up with increased demand for deliveries from the elderly and people with a disability, compromised immunity, or in mandatory isolation. “Following an extraordinary level of demand for groceries in recent weeks, reducing trading hours in some of our stores to turn them into priority delivery hubs will help us assist more people who can’t access a store to get products they need,” she said.
500 police to enforce new virus rules
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THE number of positive coronavirus cases in Frankston has doubled in the space of a week. There have been 31 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Frankston local government area as of 2 April. The total stood at 15 on 27 March. In neighbouring municipalities, Mornington Peninsula Shire had 49 recorded cases. They were the equal second worst hit area in the state. The Kingston area had 16 positive cases, and the City of Casey had 31. The statistics of positive COVID-19 cases have been provided by the Department of Health and Human Services. There were 1036 positive coronavirus cases in Victoria as of 2 March. Five people in the state had died.
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directed to return home, or charged on summons where a person repeatedly refuses to obey a direction or blatantly disregards the restrictions. People can also face heavy fines,” he said. “Already we have seen a degree of ignorance where people think it’s okay to just go out for breakfast or to see a friend when it’s absolutely not. “We also want to take advantage of Operational Sentinel to engage with the community, provide any further education around current requirements, and do everything we can to protect the safety of all Victorians. It gives police the opportunity to check on the health and wellbeing of those in self isolation, and see if they need any further support such as medical assistance. “So far, people are for the most part complying with the restrictions. We want to ensure that continues and people are showing each other the right amount of respect. People who ignore the restrictions are placing others at significant risk, which means more people will become infected.”
Gun found after chase TWO men have been arrested after police allegedly found a homemade firearm at a house after a pursuit. Police attempted to intercept a car on Lyrebird Drive, Carrum Downs, just after midnight 1 April. The car did not pull over and led police to a house on Allied Drive, Carrum Downs. Police arrested the two men at the house, and allegedly found a homemade firearm and a small amount of cannabis. A 22-year-old Frankston man was one of the people arrested, and is currently in custody. The second man was charged with breaching a community corrections order.