As the Illawarra Shoalhaven marked its deadliest day of the pandemic, the local health district (ISLHD) has revealed the extent of staff shortages due to COVID-19 exposures.
Over the past two weeks about 150 staff have been temporarily furloughed on any given day because of either catching COVID-19 or because they are identified as close contacts.
"As expected with widespread community transmission and high case numbers, the district is seeing a number of staff temporarily furloughed as a result of COVID-19," ISLHD chief executive Margot Mains said.
"ISLHD management works with medical, nursing and midwifery staff across our district to ensure staffing levels are reviewed and adjusted on a daily basis based on patient need and areas of highest demand."
Under an exemption to public health orders, critical healthcare workers can return to work during their isolation period provided they are asymptomatic.
ISLHD currently employees 8,600 across all its facilities, including non-hospital staff.
The number of available frontline health workers is already being boosted by the arrival of university graduates and interns.
"During January and February, the NSW Health system also engages new medical interns, and allied health and nursing graduates, which helps to replenish our workforce supply and assists us to continue to respond to the changing demands of the pandemic," Ms Mains said.
Most of the 139 COVID-19 patients in the region are being treated in four wards at Wollongong Hospital.
The deaths of three COVID patients were recorded today, including a Wollongong man in his 80s and two Shoalhaven residents: a woman in her 70s and a man in his 80s.
It marks the Illawarra Shoalhaven's deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic and brings the weekly death toll to 11.
Escalating aged care outbreaks
A growing number of aged care homes across the Illawarra Shoalhaven are managing COVID-19 outbreaks at their facilities.
Seven out of Warrigal Care's 11 homes, and five homes run by IRT, are in lockdown, as they deal with positive cases among residents and staff.
One wing of the Kiama Council-run Blue Haven remains locked down for residents who test positive, while the remainder of the facility will reopen so residents can reconnect with loved ones.
"We will be opening up three of our four wings and keeping just one wing to outbreak mode to look after our residents and staff who are working in and around pretty challenging pandemic conditions," CEO Jane Stroud said.
Last year five aged care residents died during an outbreak at IRT's Tarrawanna home.
Mark Sewell, regional chair of Aged and Community Services Australia, said the rampant spread of the Omicron outbreak was not slowing down.
"Across the country there are more than 1,000 aged care homes with outbreaks, which is around 50 per cent of all aged care homes in Australia," he said.
"The numbers are escalating, with 8,000 staff and residents infected but that is to be expected with the rapid escalation of the numbers."
