There were 903 COVID-19 cases among aged care residents in the week to 29 May 2025, up from just 600 the previous week, according to the latest data from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (DOHDA).
Cases among staff rose 40% to 315.
According to DOHDA, Residential Gardens in NSW recorded 56 cases over the week, while Regis Frankston and Regis Ontario in Victoria reported 49 and 48 cases respectively.
A Regis spokesperson told The SOURCE: "Both outbreaks have now been stood down, and all affected residents and staff have fully recovered. All residents who tested positive received antiviral treatment promptly, and no hospitalisations occurred as a result of these outbreaks.
"There were no staffing shortages at either home, and we did not require surge workforce support from the Government."
Despite last week’s surge, COVID-19 cases in residential aged care remain about one third of what they were 12 months ago, at the start of last winter.
Last week's rise in case numbers comes as the NB.1.8.1 strain, which is said to be transmitted more easily and has already become the dominant strain in China and Hong Kong, spreads rapidly in Australia. During the week, six aged care residents died from COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths in residential aged care since the start of the pandemic to 7,361.
However, the mortality rate in aged care is declining. The aged care fatality rate from COVID-19 has fallen from 33% in 2020, to 3.3% in 2022, to only 1.3% in 2025 to date.
Only 54.3% of aged care residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the last six months, the recommended dosage for those over 75 years of age.
Flu rates across the community are lower than the five-year average, although there was a 23.3% increase in flu cases in the fortnight from 5 to 18 May 2025. Only 40% of people over 65 in the general population are vaccinated against flu.
Following the recent COVID-19 surge, the Government’s surge workforce has supported four residential aged care homes by providing additional staff.