By Mitchell Clarke
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have confirmed five cases of Covid-19 are linked to the Menarock McGregor Gardens aged care facility in Pakenham.
As of Tuesday 4 August, one staff member, one resident and three close contacts had tested positive to coronavirus, DHHS said.
The total number of cases linked to organisation based outbreaks includes close contacts as well as employees, residents, staff and students of the particular locations.
“Appropriate public health actions have been undertaken (at McGregor Gardens) including cleaning and tracing of close contacts,” a DHHS spokesperson said on Saturday 1 August.
“All staff and residents will be tested.”
According to an email sent to relatives on Monday 3 August from McGregor Gardens, all residents – apart from the already known positive case – had returned a negative result.
“We continue to monitor residents closely for any signs of infection. Residents will continue to remain and receive all care in their rooms,” the email said.
“There is a scheduled retesting of residents and staff on Tuesday 4 August 2020.”
Monash Health is working alongside Menarock and McGregor Gardens to provide assistance, amid the aged care crisis plaguing Victoria.
A Victorian Aged Care Response Centre has been established to co-ordinate and expand resources to respond to outbreaks in residential aged care homes.
The centre will bring together Federal and State Government agencies at the State Control Centre in Melbourne in a co-ordinated effort to manage the impact of the pandemic.
The Gazette understands that plans are in place with the sector and unions to consolidate shifts at single sites, to reduce the number of work locations for staff.
A one-off payment of $1500 is being offered to Victorian aged care workers who have been instructed by the department to self-isolate or quarantine at home because they are either diagnosed with Covid-19 or are a close contact of a confirmed case, but can’t rely on sick leave while missing work.
Federal and State teams are also assisting with infection control, clinical support, deep cleaning, testing, contact tracing, communications support and replacement workforce where necessary.
A relative of a resident inside the McGregor Gardens facility – who spoke on the condition of anonymity – said they had received little communication from the facility.
“They need to be transparent, open and honest on a daily basis. Fluffy little written emails are not enough,” one source said.
But another relative – who also didn’t wish to be identified – said the facility had done a “remarkable” job in containing the virus.
“We have always been informed. We are getting emails. You only have to make a call to them,” the family member said.
“They’ve been open and honest with us, and for what reason would they have to hide anything?
“They are working bloody hard for our families. My mother has been treated fantastically, so what more can we ask of them?”
Both Menarock Life and McGregor Gardens have not responded to repeated requests for comment.
As of Monday 3 August, there were 47 active cases in Cardinia and 297 in Casey.
