Covid-19: CHT St Margarets facility identified as Auckland rest home cluster

7:55 pm on 14 April 2020

CHT St Margarets residential aged care facility in Auckland has been identified as the rest home linked to 15 cases of Covid-19.

CHT Healthcare Trust chief executive Max Robins said staff and residents confirmed as positive or probable cases were now part of a larger cluster.

"As with some other clusters around the country, this one includes people from both within CHT St Margarets and also in the community, all linked by transmission," Robins told Checkpoint in a statement.

The Ministry of Health said 15 cases were linked to the outbreak.

The facility notified Auckland Regional Public Health Service when the first positive result was confirmed in early April.

Robins said he would not be providing a breakdown of staff, residents or family members infected or the number of people in precautionary isolation.

He said he was not aware how the virus entered the facility.

Residents in isolation were asymptomatic and stable, while infected staff members were mildly unwell and self isolating at home, he said.

"We continue with our existing efforts to protect the health of our staff and residents in line with the Level 4 lock down and guidance from the Ministry of Health, Auckland Regional Public Health Service and Waitematā DHB," Robins said.

"This guidance includes appropriate use of PPE, extra cleaning, actively monitoring our residents for symptoms, appropriate testing of staff and residents, and not allowing visitors on the property."

If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP - don't show up at a medical centre

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