AGED care operator Boandik has been hit with a major influenza outbreak with up to 23 residents at its Crouch Street facility being tested for or diagnosed with the highly-contagious infection.
While a number of residents have been conveyed to hospital, management says there have been no deaths directly linked to influenza.
But management has confirmed one resident – who was diagnosed with influenza – passed away from an unrelated health condition.
The outbreak comes as a number of aged care facilities across Australia grapple with a deadly spread of influenza and a spike in cases across the Mount Gambier community.
Notices posted on Boandik’s Crouch Street entrance warn people they are at risk of developing the infection if they enter the facility.
Boandik chief executive officer Gillian McGinty said sweeping infection control measures were in place to stop the spread of the infection given the vulnerability of elderly residents.
“Of the 23 residents who have a respiratory illness, not all have been confirmed with influenza,” Ms McGinty told The Border Watch yesterday.
Revealing a number of residents had died at the facility during the influenza outbreak that began on September 11, she said these deaths were not linked directly to the virus, but underlying medical conditions.
Ms McGinty said the resident – who was confirmed as having influenza – passed away from an acute medical episode.
The facility’s manager also praised the Mount Gambier Hospital, the city’s medical clinics and paramedics for their assistance during the outbreak given they were also under pressure from the spike in influenza cases.
Ms McGinty said Boandik had responded to the situation with “very strong” infection control.
“This means staff are wearing hats, gloves, gowns, masks and overshoes when caring for any resident with a respiratory illness, not necessarily confirmed influenza – these are discarded when exiting each room,” she said.
“Everyone is using additional precautions, including residents being confined to their rooms and restricting visitors.
“We are trying to limit the number of people coming onto the site to prevent it from spreading.”
The facility is also not waiting for an official flu diagnosis before implementing infection controls given this process could take some days.
She said Boandik had also made a public appeal for people to limit visits to the site and people were being asked just to visit their family member.
The SA Health Communicable Disease Control Branch had also been notified of the situation and had been “very positive” about Boandik’s response to the situation.
Ms McGinty said the influenza outbreak was not just confined to Boandik, but was also being reported across the general community.
“It is in the community, not just at our Crouch Street facility,” she said.
“We are part of the community and it is going to get into the facility.”
