CASE TRACK
New South Wales health officials are conducting genome sequencing after Sydney recorded a new community-transmitted case of COVID-19, with the ABC noting the man has likely been infected since Friday April 30, has not been overseas or worked in the quarantine system, and recorded a high viral load likely making him more infectious. Close contacts are in isolation and more cases are expected to be announced today.
NSW Health has listed at least 19 exposure sites across the city’s eastern suburbs, spanning Annandale, Balgowlah, Bondi Junction, Brookvale, Casula, Collaroy, Double Bay, Mascot, Moore Park, Paddington, Rose Bay, Rushcutters Bay, Silverwater and Sydney. Anyone who visited those venues, including those in other states, have been asked to immediately get tested and self-isolate.
Hundreds of hotel quarantine staff paid millions while sitting idle
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The Victorian government has, since February, paid as many as 550 hotel quarantine workers their full salary of at least $75,000 a year, despite them not working a single day on site.
The government has also contracted hotels into the quarantine program and paid them millions for the service before cutting them out of the scheme without the sites hosting a single guest.
Hundreds of hotel quarantine employees have received payment in full despite not working in hotels.
Victoria’s Hotel Quarantine Manager Stood Down After Breaching Infection Control Protocols
A senior public servant who was responsible for managing infection control protocols for Victoria’s hotel quarantine program has been stood down following reports of alleged compliance breaches.
Matiu Bush, who has been involved in the program since June, was stood down by Victorian Police Minister Danny Pearson on May 4 after it was revealed by The Australian that he refused to undergo a mandatory test when visiting one of the quarantine sites. Bush has been stood down with full pay.
“Last night I become aware of reports in relation to Mr Bush and I formed the opinion overnight that Mr Bush needs to be stood down pending a review,” Pearson said on May 5, reported The Australian.
Stood down: Quarantine manager Matiu Bush. On Wednesday, it emerged Bush refused a Covid-19 test and failed to sanitise properly or use face masks
Victoria s hotel quarantine boss who was stood down for breaching infection protocols previously warned the healthcare sector not to become obsessed with risk .
Matiu Bush was stood down as Victoria s general manager of infection prevention and control on Wednesday after it emerged they refused a Covid-19 test and failed to sanitise or properly use face masks.
Bush, who uses they and them pronouns, was reported to authorities twice over the leaked breaches, The Australian reported.
Bush began working for Victoria s hotel quarantine program in June 2020 in the wake of the state s horror second wave of Covid-19 infections which killed 801 people.