Upper Yarra
Tuesday, 14 July, 2020
Yarra Valley in lockdown again
101 birthday cards for Joyce
Sod turns for new autism school
PAGE 3
PAGE 4
PAGE 5
A Star News Group Publication
PROPERTY GUIDE Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808
SUBSCRIBE to our DIGITAL EDITION - It's FREE 12443017-SG10-20
Aged care cases By Jed Lanyon and Romy Stephens
Picture: ROMY STEPHENS “We are currently working with the Vic Public Health Unit and the Federal Department of Health and Human Services who have advised there is no further action required at this time. “I can confirm that Aurrum has always maintained strict Covid-safe practices including temperature checking of all persons - team and visitors - and broader Covid screening for everyone who attends at Aurrum Healesville.” Mr Rutherford said the aged care would continue to take precautions such as observing residents’ blood pressure, temperature and pulse. It is understood the worker has gone into isolation and there are currently no respiratory illnesses on-site at Aurrum Healesville.
YARRA RANGES GAS HEAT & COOL
12423653-LB32-19
SPECIALISTS IN •SplitSystems •DuctedHeating andCooling •GasApplianceSales andInstallation
Computer Colour Matching OPEN: MON-FRI 6.30am-5.00pm•SAT 8.00am-12.00noon
9737 6833
24d John St., LILYDALE
12339093-LB07-17
“I’m quite nervous because I’m in Mansfield and I work as a nurse and we’re super cautious as it is,” they said. “Unless they are testing 100 per cent of staff and residents and have a lockdown period for two weeks they can’t guarantee that someone in the facility doesn’t have it.” Aurrum Aged Care CEO Craig Rutherford said it was not clear if the team member was asymptomatic while working at the aged care residence. “The team member is not believed to have been displaying symptoms of the illness when they were last in contact with any other team member or resident at Aurrum Healesville,” he said.
AU36010
was asymptomatic but got tested for Covid-19, as a precaution, before advising Aurrum of the positive test, also on 7 July. A relative of an Aurrum Healesville resident, who did not want to be named, said their dad visited their grandmother on 8 July but wasn’t told of the confirmed Covid-19 case. “He went up this morning and he was just presented with the normal access that they’ve previously had going in,” the relative said. “I rang dad and said ‘have you been notified or do you know if nanna has been tested’ and he had no idea ... .He was shocked and didn’t know what to do.” The relative said it would now be an anxious wait to see how the confirmed case would impact the residents and family members.
Ph: 5966 9999 1216759-KK8-16
Aurrum Aged Care in Healesville.
12451780-SN25-20
Two aged care homes in Healesville are undergoing contact tracing following positive Coronavirus tests by staff members. Both Aurrum Aged Care and Holmwood Aged Care were listed as having confirmed Covid-19 cases on 8 July. The Department of Health and Human Services clarified the two incidents were not linked to the same person. “If the same person worked at the two (aged care facilities), they would have been listed together ... These are two distinct cases,” a spokesperson from the DHHS said. Holmwood Aged Care told the Star Mail that they were advised a nurse had tested positive to Covid-19 on 7 July and that the nurse had last worked at the location on 26 June. Holmwood confirmed that the nurse also worked for a neighbouring aged care home. Holmwood Aged Care CEO Andrew Meek told Star Mail that all residents and staff were tested for the virus following the initial positive case and was pleased that no further trace of the virus was found. “We have been preparing for what occurred last week since early March. Despite all the preparation it was a highly confronting situation,” Mr Meek said. “There needs to be recognition for our team, who despite the potential dangers, volunteered to work extra hours and shifts to care for the residents. Our residents were incredibly understanding. We received many messages of support from relatives and the local community. This helped to maintain our spirits. “A special thank you is warranted to the nurse who advised us as soon as she could of her positive test result. This enabled us to respond quickly and reduce the potential for possible further infections.” It is understood the Aurrum staff member