All residents and staff at the Doutta Galla Aged Care Home in Footscray, 6km from the Melbourne CBD, are expected to be tested after the staff member tested positive after last working at the home on 26 April.
In a letter to families obtained by 9News, CEOVanda Iaconese said the home had activated its emergency response and alerted both the Government and health authorities when it learned of the case.
“There is not an outbreak nor a COVID-19 cluster,” she wrote.
“There is no need to be alarmed and no resident or staff are showing any signs of infection.”
It is understood the staff member is asymptomatic and in self-isolation at home.
A Not For Profit, community-run organisation, Doutta Galla has eight aged care homes and two retirement villages across Melbourne and regional Victoria.
The operator had locked down its aged care homes on 18 March – six weeks ago – for all visits, except for those for clinical, compassionate and end-of-life reasons, but Ms Iaconese had announced last Friday that Doutta Galla was preparing to lift its restrictions to allow for general wellbeing visits in the next week.
The Victorian Health Minister, Jenny Mikakos, has told media the Doutta Galla was a close contact of a worker at Cedar Meats, a meat processing facility in Brooklyn where a coronavirus cluster of nearly 50 cases has developed.
“Again, this is a private aged care facility. The testing of residents and staff is being undertaken,” she said.
“All residents ... are being well supported and observed.”
