AT least three Sunraysia aged-care homes have been hit by COVID-19 outbreaks, two of them going into full lockdown.
Residents at Princes Court Homes in Mildura and Murray House at Wentworth were unable to see visitors in person, while limited visits were allowed at Chaffey Aged Care, Merbein, subject to rapid testing.
Chaffey Aged Care announced on December 22 that it had one fully vaccinated positive case, and Princes Court announced it had an exposure to the virus on Monday. Murray House confirmed on Tuesday that it had gone into lockdown after the detection of one positive case.
No COVID hospital admissions or significant symptoms have been reported by any of the three sites.
Robinvale is also battling a COVID outbreak. Most of the Swan Hill local government area’s 38 current cases are in the irrigation town.
Mayor Jade Benham, who was among local people forced to self-isolate before Christmas as potential contacts, said she was concerned for the wellbeing of residents and repeated the message that vaccinations were the only effective way to manage the impact of the virus.
“I think this is life with COVID now,” Cr Benham said, adding that no one wanted to go back to lockdowns and heavy restrictions.
“We have to learn to live with it. We can’t continue with things the way they’ve been.”
Cr Benham said that apart from the obvious health concerns about a virus outbreak, she and other community leaders had been worried that many residents in isolation did not have access to a range of home delivery or click-and-collect services available in larger rural cities such as Mildura.
The Swan Hill Rural City Council and local agencies have mobilised assistance to make sure everyone in isolation can get supplies.
The number of active cases in the Swan Hill LGA on Tuesday was down slightly, from 45 to 38, although another three new cases were reported.
In the Mildura LGA, nine new cases were reported, for a total of 98 active cases. As of Monday night, there were 10 active cases in Wentworth Shire.
Long lines formed at Mildura’s only open COVID-19 testing clinic on Monday morning, some people bringing deck chairs to cope with the long waiting times. Others were turned away.
Sunraysia Community Health Service opened its pop-up testing clinic on Sunday and Monday, while Barratt & Smith Pathology was closed.
Testing resumed at Barratt & Smith Mildura for two hours on Tuesday.
From Wednesday to Friday, testing will be available from 8am to 4pm.
