The Department of Health and Aged Care has revealed between 1 January to 12 August, COVID-19 was recorded as the cause of death in 7.3% of all deaths in permanent residents in aged care homes.

Since the beginning of the Omicron outbreak in late November 2021, there have been 43,355 deaths in residential aged care from all causes (reporting period from 29 November to 9 August). COVID-19 was responsible for just 6.5% of that number.

“Over the course of the pandemic, all-cause excess mortality in Residential Aged Care was below expected numbers in 2020, and within expected range in 2021,” said the Department of Health and Aged Care in its latest release of COVID-19 outbreaks in Australian aged care facilities.

The peak of the third wave of COVID-19, the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, that swept back into residential aged care homes appears to have passed.

In other positive news, the number of aged care residents to have had a fourth dose of a COVID-19 vaccine continues to rise, but still remains far below what is required.

The strain caused by COVID-19 on aged care is still evident with a surge workforce filling 2,689 GP, nurse, care worker, allied health worker, executive and ancillary staff shifts in the seven days to 12 August. The Australian Defence Force Workforce has deployed 47 personnel to support aged care homes.