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An investigation is underway after an infection-control breach involving the transfer of a COVID-19 positive patient at the Royal Perth Hospital (RPH).
A service lift was not properly cordoned off after it was used to transport a man in his 60s from the 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 in a statement on Sunday.
“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”.
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.
Sunday’s reported figures showed Western Australia to have at least six overseas-acquired cases of COVID-19 in quarantine.
Australian Associated Press
