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Vulnerable pediatric cancer patients and their carers have been forced into two weeks of isolation following a COVID-19 outbreak in a cancer ward at a children’s hospital in Melbourne. Bernadette McDonald, head of the Royal Children’s Hospital, said the parent of a child being treated for cancer at the Kookaburra ward had tested positive for the virus “a few days ago”. A hospital spokeswoman confirmed the exposure period was more than four days, from Friday, October 1 to Monday, October 4, but dates are subject to change as contact tracing is underway. No patients have yet tested positive and the ward is classified as a prime exposure site and all contacts necessary to isolate for 14 days. Affected hospital patients and their parents or carers have been placed in hospital single rooms to be quarantined. “Every time we get an exposure site in the hospital, it’s a concern for all of us, and we try to minimize that as much as possible,” said Ms. McDonald. “But we know that COVID is not that extreme in children. We are happy that we have a lot of single rooms so that we can isolate people quite safely.” The hospital’s policy allows one parent or guardian to visit a child “so that their care is maximized and they feel less anxious.” “That’s a good balance between limiting visitors and having no visitors or parents at all,” Ms McDonald said. “We have very clear screening procedures.” She said 12 patients with COVID-19 are currently in hospital care, four in wards separate from the cancer ward and eight are being treated at home. cared for and then go home,” she said. “They usually show up with something else, another illness or injury, and they also happen to be COVID positive. So we’re not seeing extreme illness in children.” Victoria reported 1420 new locally acquired cases and 11 deaths on Wednesday. The latest deaths are six women, ages 60 to 90, and five men, ages 50 to 80, taking the toll. from the current outbreak to 68. There are 525 Victorians in hospital battling the virus, 94 of whom are in intensive care and 53 on a ventilator, meanwhile, more Victorians trapped in the ACT and NSW will be able to return home as the Easing border restrictions Starting Wednesday, areas considered red zones in NSW and the ACT will be downgraded to orange zones, allowing residents and non-residents to enter Victoria if they take a test within 72 hours of arrival and isolate themselves until they get a negative result .classifications for closed areas like Greater Sydney will be lowered to red meaning Victorians can return if left in for 14 days house are insulated. The bottom line is that the state government will be testing nearly 2.2 million rapid antigens to help Victoria’s health system when the lockdown ends later this month. The state will roll out rapid tests in healthcare and potentially other high-risk workplace environments such as schools, nurseries, prisons and emergency services as the state reopens after achieving 70 and 80 percent vaccination rates. Australian Associated Press
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Vulnerable pediatric cancer patients and their carers have been forced into two weeks of isolation following a COVID-19 outbreak in a cancer ward at a children’s hospital in Melbourne.
Bernadette McDonald, head of the Royal Children’s Hospital, said the parent of a child being treated for cancer at the Kookaburra ward had tested positive for the virus “a few days ago”.
A hospital spokeswoman confirmed the exposure period was more than four days, from Friday, October 1 to Monday, October 4, but dates are subject to change as contact tracing is underway.
No patients have yet tested positive and the ward is classified as a prime exposure site and all contacts necessary to isolate for 14 days.
Affected hospital patients and their parents or carers have been placed in hospital single rooms to be quarantined.
“Every time we get an exposure site in the hospital, it’s a concern for all of us, and we try to minimize that as much as possible,” said Ms. McDonald.
“But we do know that COVID is not that extreme in children.
“We’re happy to have a lot of single rooms so we can isolate people quite safely.”
She said the hospital’s policy allows one parent or guardian to visit a child “so that their care is maximized and they feel less anxious”.
“That’s a good balance between limiting visitors and no visitors or parents at all,” Ms McDonald said.
“We have very clear screening processes.”
She said 12 patients with COVID-19 are currently in hospital care, four are treated in separate cancer wards and eight are being treated at home.
“We see COVID-positive children coming to the ER, being cared for and then going home,” she said.
“They usually show up with something else, another illness or injury, and they also happen to be COVID positive. So we don’t see extreme illness in children.”
Victoria reported 1,420 new locally acquired cases and 11 deaths on Wednesday.
The latest deaths are six women, ages 60 to 90, and five men, ages 50 to 80, bringing the current outbreak’s toll to 68.
There are 525 Victorians in hospital battling the virus, 94 of whom are in intensive care and 53 on a ventilator.
Meanwhile, more Victorians stranded in the ACT and NSW will be able to return home as border restrictions ease.
From Wednesday, areas considered red zones in NSW and the ACT will be downgraded to orange zones, allowing residents and non-residents to enter Victoria if they take a test within 72 hours of arrival and isolate themselves until they get a negative result.
Extreme risk zone classifications for enclosed areas such as Greater Sydney are being lowered to red, meaning Victorians can return if they have been isolated in their homes for 14 days.
It’s because the state government will buy nearly 2.2 million rapid antigen tests to help Victoria’s health system when the lockdown ends later this month.
The state will roll out rapid tests in healthcare and potentially other high-risk workplace environments such as schools, nurseries, prisons and emergency services as the state reopens after achieving 70 and 80 percent vaccination rates.
Australian Associated Press
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