A COVID-19 epidemic at a Sydney elderly care facility has expanded to 20 cases, and an infected nurse at the institution also worked at other nursing homes.
According to NSW Health, 18 residents and two staff members at Wyoming Nursing Home in Summer Hill have now tested positive.
According to Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant, the positive patients were transported to the hospital, and the other residents on the facility's top-level were sent to the hospital as a precaution.
By the end of the day, 32 of the home's 61 inhabitants would be in hospital, according to Hardi Aged Care.
The increased number of illnesses, according to Health Minister Brad Hazzard, was caused by a "superspreading event" at the institution over Christmas in July.
Minister Hazzard said that sometimes having Christmas in July right in the midst of a pandemic is not a smart idea. However, he realises that it is an attempt to give entertainment and comfort to residents, and such things have to be chosen by the elderly care institutions.
A representative for Hardi Aged Care, on the other hand, said that the event was really the nursing home's weekly lunch, which had a Christmas theme.
A spokeswoman said that according to the NSW government, a Christmas in July event was conducted in their house, which may have contributed to the positive instances. To clarify, a regular meal was served to residents whilst with Christmas decorations and songs played through the speaker.
Dr. Chant said that a "huge number" of other institutions, including St Hedwig Retirement Village in Blacktown, were impacted when a Wyoming nurse worked among aged care facilities.
She said that authorities were collaborating with the Commonwealth to guarantee that employees were not transferring between institutions.
Dr. Chant said that they are working with the Commonwealth to ensure that the process... of personnel not moving across different sites is firmly in place.
According to health officials, the epidemic emphasises the necessity of immunisation in nursing homes.
Mr. Hazzard said that 50 of the center's 61 inhabitants had been vaccinated, while 10 had refused for a variety of reasons, including medical concerns.
He added that it is a powerful message to everyone, however, that you should be vaccinated since seven of those ten who refuse to get vaccinated for different reasons are positive.
Three-quarters of the facility's employees had been immunised, and the federal government is returning to impacted institutions to give vaccinations to residents who initially refused.
A representative for Hardi Aged Care said that residents' relatives were in frequent touch with the facility.
The spokesman added that they are in constant contact with the residents and their families, telling them that everything is being done to guarantee their safety and well-being.
