Covid leak at a major hospital was caused by ‘complacency of Mark McGowan’s government’ – after staff mingled in lifts with no PPE
- McGowan government slammed after staff at Royal Perth Hospital put at risk
- Man in his 60s infected with Covid was put in a lift followed by other staff
- The staff were not wearing PPE and could easily have become infected there
The McGowan government has been accused of complacency after staff at Royal Perth Hospital were put at risk of exposure to COVID-19.
An investigation is continuing into the infection-control breach involving the captain of the AquaGenie bulk iron ore carrier.
A service lift was not properly cordoned off after it was used to transport the man in his 60s from the RPH emergency department to the intensive care unit on Saturday.
‘Review of CCTV footage has identified that three staff members, who were not wearing PPE, unknowingly entered the lift within 15 minutes of the patient transport, prior to it being cleaned,’ East Metropolitan Health Service Chief Executive Liz MacLeod said.
Liberal health spokeswoman Libby Mettam said the breach revealed ‘gaping holes’ in the health department’s protocols for managing infected patients (pictured, Labor premier Mark McGowan)
‘WA Health public health officials have been assisting RPH and said the three staff members involved had followed correct current procedures and that any risk of COVID-19 transmission was deemed to be very low.’
The staff members have been placed in self-quarantine in ‘an abundance of caution’ and are being monitored daily for symptoms.
Two of the three were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while the third had received their first dose, the statement said.
‘There is no public health risk to other members of staff or hospital patients or visitors,’ Ms MacLeod said.
A service lift was not properly cordoned off after it was used to transport an infected man in his 60s from the RPH emergency department to the intensive care unit on Saturday
Liberal health spokeswoman Libby Mettam said the breach revealed ‘gaping holes’ in the health department’s protocols for managing infected patients.
‘This seriously raises the question about what the McGowan government has been doing 12 months into a pandemic, where it can’t effectively manage one patient,’ she said.
‘The McGowan government has had more than a year to prepare and such basic measures and procedures should well and truly be in place.’
The AquaGenie vessel has departed Australian waters and set sail towards the Philippines after being docked off the coast of Karratha.
A legal direction had been issued blocking the ship from entering WA waters after a crew member returned a positive coronavirus test.
Both he and the ship’s captain were removed from the ship and transported to Perth where they were placed in isolation in hospital.
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