Healthcare worker infections in Victoria draw AMA condemnation

3 minute read

Communicable Disease COVID-19 Live blog

By

Bianca Nogrady

Around 2500 healthcare workers have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Victoria during this pandemic, with 2255 infections since July 1 alone.

Welcome to The Medical Republic‘s COVID Catch-Up.

It’s the day’s COVID-19 news into one convenient post. Email bianca@biancanogrady.com with any tips, comments or feedback.

25 August

  • Around 2500 healthcare workers have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Victoria during this pandemic, with 2255 infections since July 1, according to data released by the Victorian state health department.
    In this second wave, around 40% of healthcare worker infections have been from disability or aged care, a further 40% have been nurses, nearly 5% are medical practitioners and the rest are a mix of paramedics, pharmacists, midwives and dental practitioners.
    The state’s data suggests among those infected, around three-quarters of aged and disability care staff, 46% of medical practitioners and 54% of nurses acquired the virus at work.
    The AMA has condemned the state government’s response to these revelations as “too little, too late”, arguing that the government is not taking the issue seriously.
    They have called for revised guidelines on PPE for Victorian healthcare workers but dismissed the state government’s suggestion of a trial of ‘fit testing’ for N95 masks, saying fit testing is already a requirement for those wearing the masks in healthcare facilities.
    “Two weeks ago, the AMA asked the Infection Control Expert Group to rethink guidance that currently does not mandate respirator mask use for positive or likely COVID-19 patients,” said AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid in a statement.
  • One in six aged care facilities in Victoria have experienced an outbreak of COVID-19, according to an update from the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre.
    Of the 767 aged care facilities in the state, 161 have had COVID-19 outbreaks, and 126 of those are still active. Altogether, 3644 of the state’s cases of COVID-19 have been either in residents or staff at aged care facilities, and the virus has claimed 295 lives in these facilities.
  • Forty-six people have been poisoned from drinking bleach in North Texas just this month, prompting the North Texas Poison Center to warn about “misleading and inaccurate information circulating online about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
  • Hong Kong researchers claim to have identified the first verified case of COVID-19 reinfection but have only released their claims in press release form (yes, that horrible sound is scientists and science journalists the world over grinding their teeth in frustration).
    What is apparent is that the 33-year-old man was first diagnosed with COVID-19 in late March after presenting with a sore throat, fever, cough and headache. He was hospitalised, then discharged a few weeks later after two consecutive negative RT-PCR tests. Four months later, he was found to be positive again after being tested in transit between Spain and Hong Kong, although this time was asymptomatic.
    Genomic sequencing of both his first and second tests showed the second infection was caused by a different SARS-CoV-2.
    The researchers commented that the milder second episode reflected a similar pattern seen in macaques infected with SARS-CoV-2. The results have been accepted for publication but not yet published.
  • Here are today’s confirmed COVID-19 infection numbers around Australia, to 9pm Monday:
    National – 24,916, with 517 deaths
    ACT – 113 (0)
    NSW – 3988 (3)
    NT – 33 (0)
    QLD – 1106 (3)
    SA – 463 (0)
    TAS – 230 (0)
    VIC – 18,330 (116)
    WA – 653 (1)

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